This article recounts a carpenter ant extermination in The Beaches, Toronto. A severe infestation of carpenter ants were found in the roof and balcony of a home, then promptly removed with a comprehensive treatment. If you suspect that there are ants living on your property, give The Exterminators a call and we will send them packing.
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The Beaches, Toronto
The Beach or The Beaches? This question has been raised for decades by locals and city dwellers alike. The issue originally started in the 1985 when the local Business Improvement Association designed new street name signs with “The Beaches” on top. Long time residents have always referred to the area in the singular, and they would not budge. The signs were removed shortly after.
This issue was brought up once again in 2006 when the BIA once again proposed changing the name of the historic neighbourhood to “The Beaches”. Their argument was that there are multiple beaches along the famous boardwalk along Lake Ontario. A poll was conducted, and once again “The Beach” prevailed. Today, street name signs still display “The Beach.”
There are many older houses in The Beaches, making them a prime target for carpenter ants and other pests. This case will look at a carpenter ant infestation in a home in The Beach area of Toronto’s east end.
Inspection
We were contacted by this customer after a large carpenter ant colony was discovered while the roof was being repaired. Upon arrival, our licensed exterminator noted that ant activity was taking place on a third-floor balcony was well.
It is not uncommon for carpenter ants to nest within the roof structure. These pests will look for wooden structures in which they can burrow holes and dig out galleries in the wood to create their colony. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat the wood, they simply gnaw through it often creating mounds of sawdust-like material and small wooden splinters.
Carpenter ants will sometimes nest in foam insulation, causing damage and therefore accelerated heat gain or loss.
Treatment
We began by eliminating the source of the problem, the nest. Using a highly effective commercial insecticide, we sprayed the entire visible colony. The residual properties of the products we use ensure a long-lasting treatment and will be active for weeks after treatment. This prevents ants from returning to the infested area.
The insecticide, once sprayed, adheres to all surfaces in the form of micro-beads. These beads are designed to stick to the ants upon contact. Once the ants come in contact with the beads, the beads will break and release the poison. Some beads are larger in size and will take longer to break, allowing the ants to move about and infect other ants.
Because activity was taking place in the balcony area, our licensed exterminator also sprayed that area with the same highly effective insecticide.
Conclusion
Carpenter ants are notorious for finding concealed spaces in which they develop their colonies. In this instance, the ants had infiltrated the roof space and proceeded to nest in and around the wooden beams. Damage was visible and the problem could have escalated to a much bigger one if it was left untreated.
Once a carpenter ants’ colony becomes too large, satellite colonies will serve to absorb the overflow of ants. These can easily spread through a house’s roof and other wooden structures such as walls and subfloors. Our treatment in this case will prevent the spread of these pests.
Our extermination work is also guaranteed for 6-months, and if the pest return so will we.
