The most common trait that carpenter ants are known for is their love of wood as a preferred harborage space for their colony. However, it is important to realize that carpenter ants in the Toronto area are also known to rip through and infest foam insulation and many homeowners can find ants in attic. This is likely due to the insulation comfortable properties for a home and also possible due to a previous inability to rip through nearby wooden structures. You will likely not want to face the expense of ripping away all of your foam insulation if you discover carpenter ants, therefore, a consultation with a carpenter ant Toronto professional can save you a great deal of probably expenses, since it is almost impossible to treat large swaths of foam insulation with standard over-the-counter chemicals.
Getting rid of these ants in foam insulation is a complex process and will likely take additional treatment and a whole lot of patience. The first step a pest control professional will take is an initial assessment of the insulation to identify signs of infestation. This can be time-consuming since the ants will typically find insulation much easier to tunnel through than wood, meaning they will burrow deep into the insulation in a quick amount of time. An exterminator will possess special skills that can draw the ants out, or, at the very least, expose the visible signs of their active presence in the insulation.
Since foam insulation can be a great conductor of moisture due to Toronto’s climate, a pest control specialist will usually look for signs of frass (overflow of ripped, tunnelled foam), which is the first clear sign that carpenter ants have infested the insulation. After diagnosing their presence, an exterminator can then begin a comprehensive treatment program to destroy the colony and salvage the foam insulation.
Since there is no way of knowing just how many ants have infested the foam, a complete treatment of all of the foam insulation will be required to completely eradicate the colony. It is best to contact professional carpenter ant exterminator Toronto in the Greater Toronto Area to declare your home ant-free as soon as possible!
Do Ants Eat Spray Foam Insulation?
Ants do not eat spray foam insulation. They chew on it and dig their way through to build tunnels, but they do not consume the insulation. This means that the insulation will not disappear, but it can be damaged.
Carpenter ants do not feed on wood and foam. They eat sugary and protein-rich foods like most other ants. Outside, ants feed on other insects, like dead flies, and honeydew – a sugary secretion that aphids and other tiny insects produce. In the home, ants will feed on nearly anything they find. They like starchy carbohydrates, sugars, and meats. To feed, ants venture out of their nests and bring food back. They leave trails behind them to guide other workers to food sources.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Styrofoam?
Like spray foam, carpenter ants may nest in Styrofoam, but they do not eat it. Ants chew their way through this material and leave the crumbs behind. Ants would much rather feed on fresh foods, like fruits, vegetables, meat, and grains. There is always the chance that ants will burrow through Styrofoam insulation, however. If you ever find that your insulation is damaged, contact a pest control professional immediately.
How do Professionals Get Rid of Ants?
Pest control companies have chemicals and equipment to utilize in a war against carpenter ants. Residual insecticides, administered with special nozzles and applicators to reach deep inside of the crevices of the foam, are the tools of choice for this type of complex treatment process. Once the entire interior of the foam and all surrounding wood has been thoroughly treated with chemicals, a second application is sometimes necessary to ensure that the ants are completely destroyed.
Getting rid of this type of ant is a complex endeavour that requires a lot of hard work. It is not possible to attempt to take on an entire attic full of foam insulation, therefore, a pest control Toronto professional is the best course of action for ridding your foam insulation of these burrowing insects. It is also difficult to identify carpenter ants due to their ability to hide to avoid detection, which can be easily achieved by a trained professional attuned to their behaviour patterns.
