Carpenter Ant Control
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Carpenter Ant Extermination Services
Stride Pest Control provides carpenter ant control for homes and businesses across Central Texas, where these large ants tunnel into moist or damaged wood to build their nests. Carpenter ants are hard to control on your own because the nest is often hidden inside a wall, and the ants you see foraging may be traveling from a colony somewhere else entirely.
Stride treats carpenter ants through the Stride Forward integrated pest management process, and the work starts with locating the nest, because carpenter ants are drawn to moisture and treating a trail alone never reaches the colony. Fixing the damp wood that attracted them is part of the solution.
Every treatment is backed by a same-day service option and a satisfaction guarantee, and the products we use are odorless and colorless once dry. Carpenter ants are one of several ant species Stride treats, covered under our broader ant control and general pest control services.
Carpenter Ants In Central Texas
Carpenter ants are among the largest ants in Central Texas, and they are often mistaken for termites because both turn up in wood.
| Trait | Carpenter Ant |
|---|---|
| Size and color | Large, one quarter to one half inch, usually black or dark |
| Nesting | Tunnels into moist or damaged wood, but does not eat it |
| The sign they leave | Sawdust-like shavings, called frass, beneath their tunnels |
| What draws them | Moisture and water-damaged wood |
| Colony structure | A main nest plus satellite nests, often one indoors and one out |
| Not termites | They tunnel through wood but do not consume it |
Because they nest in damp, damaged wood, carpenter ants signal a moisture problem, which the Texas A&M AgriLife guide to carpenter ants explains in detail.
Signs You Have Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants leave several clues:
- Large black ants indoors, often most active at night.
- Sawdust-like frass in small piles below wood trim, windows, or door frames.
- A faint rustling inside walls where a nest is active.
- Winged swarmers indoors in spring, a sign of an established colony.
- Smooth, clean galleries in wood, and moisture or leaks nearby.
Are Carpenter Ants Dangerous?
Carpenter ants are not a health threat, but they are a structural one. They tunnel through moist and damaged wood, and over time a large or long-established colony can weaken framing, trim, and structural wood around leaks, windows, and rooflines.
Their presence also flags a moisture problem worth fixing. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood, so the damage is usually slower, but because the damage can resemble termites, it is worth ruling those out with a proper inspection and our termite control service.
How We Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
Stride treats carpenter ants through the five-step Stride Forward process, aimed at the nest rather than the trail:
- Inspect. We follow the trails, find the frass, and locate the main and satellite nests, checking the moisture behind them.
- Identify. We confirm carpenter ants rather than termites and pin down where the colony is nesting.
- Recommend. We point out the leaks to fix, the damaged wood to replace, and the branches to trim back from the house.
- Treat. We use non-repellent products and bait the ants carry back to the colony, and treat the nest sites and voids directly, not just the visible trail.
- Evaluate. We monitor on recurring visits, since satellite nests can persist after the first treatment.
Our GreenPro certification guides this reduced-risk approach.
How to Keep Carpenter Ants Away
Keeping carpenter ants out comes back to moisture and wood:
- Fix leaks and moisture that soften wood around the home.
- Replace water-damaged wood before ants nest in it.
- Keep firewood and mulch away from the foundation.
- Trim branches touching the house, which ants use as bridges.
- Seal gaps around utility lines and keep gutters clear.
Carpenter Ant Control Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell carpenter ants from termites?
Carpenter ants have a pinched waist, bent antennae, and push sawdust-like frass out of their tunnels. Termites have a straight body, straight antennae, and build mud tubes while eating the wood itself. Carpenter ants tunnel through wood but do not eat it.
Do carpenter ants eat wood?
No. They tunnel through wood to build their nest and push the shavings out as frass, but they do not consume it the way termites do. The wood damage comes from the tunneling, not from feeding.
Why do I have carpenter ants?
They are drawn to moisture and water-damaged wood, so a leak, poor drainage, or damp wood near where you see them is usually the underlying cause. Fixing that moisture is part of getting rid of them.
Are the ants inside coming from a nest in my house?
Often there is a satellite nest indoors while the main colony sits outside in a tree, stump, or woodpile, with a trail running between them. Finding and treating the nest, not just the trail, is what solves it.
THE STRIDE FORWARD PROGRAM
Our Strategic ECO-BASED Protocol
Stride Forward is our Integrated Pest Management program where we partner with our clients in the long-term removal and prevention of pests. Keeping your property free of unwanted insects and rodents works best when we work together.
The program combines habitat manipulation, biological control, cultural behavior changes, and the targeted use of products designed to repel or eradicate pests. Our approach follows five steps, with non-chemical methods prioritized before any product application.
Our Certifications & Awards
Stride Pest Control holds QualityPro and GreenPro certifications through the NPMA’s Foundation for Professional Pest Management, and fewer than 3% of pest control companies nationwide hold both. QualityPro requires background checks on every service member, a drug-free workplace, and 16 standards that exceed state and federal requirements.
Our Austin and Round Rock office operates under Texas Department of Agriculture license TPCL #667951, with Burton Johnston as Responsible Certified Applicator. Our San Antonio office operates under TPCL #827449, with Alex Randall as Responsible Certified Applicator. Our office manager, Michael Honeycutt, is an Associate Certified Entomologist through the Entomological Society of America.
Founded in 2013, we have served nearly 12,000 customers across Central Texas and hold a 4.9-star rating across 2,400+ reviews with an A+ from the BBB.
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Stride Pest Control received an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars
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