Ridgefield is the gateway to lower Fairfield County and quite possibly the nicest town in the Greater Danbury area. After all, who could drive down Main Street in Ridgefield and not say that Ridgefield is not only a great small town, but also beautiful? However, Ridgefield has a secret – there are a lot of ants.
Why Are There So Many Ants in Ridgefield, CT?
Ridgefield, CT is a town that has many young families that purchase homes and renovate them into great living spaces. These renovations undoubtedly turn up many pest issues. We’ve been involved in some of these renovations and have been able to help many homeowners. There are some projects where a pest issue is missed, only to turn up at a later date. The most common is having a carpenter ant colony nesting in the walls of your home.
How Do You Know If Carpenter Ants are Nesting in the Walls of Your Home?
The short answer is: you don’t. However, to an experienced exterminator, there are some clues to look for. The most common clues are:
- Sounds in the wall
- Dead ants in spider webs
- Observation of foraging ants
Sounds in the Wall:
Many times homeowners will call the office and tell our staff that they hear “crunching” in the wall. This crunching is more like the sound of cereal after milk is added or like the faint noise of crumpling cellophane. This noise is indicative of a colony that is active and the best part is that it’s right there and easy to get rid of.
Dead Ants in Spider Webs:
This is a great clue and used by every pest control technician in the world. If you go in your basement or crawl space and look for spider webs occasionally you’ll find dead ants in them. Many times (not all the time) the colony is located not too far away. Dead ants give the experienced exterminator a place to start.
Observing Foraging Ants:
I’ve been to many homes where I’ve looked up and down and couldn’t find where or how ants were getting into a house. So, what’s the last resort? Ask the kids. If you have children I would ask them to help find the ants. It’s simple: follow the ant and show me where it ends up. It can often take a long time for an ant to lead you to its nesting site – who has time for that? The kids of the house do! If it’s made into a game it could actually turn out to be fun. After an exterminator knows where the ants are they become easier to get rid of.
“Carpenter Ants are Here in the Summer and Go Away”
Not quite! Homeowners are shocked to find out that some carpenter ants survive the winter. In fact some of the toughest ant control jobs take place in Ridgefield in the winter. You may not see them but I can assure you that many of your neighbors do.
Usually carpenter ants that are out in the winter time foraging in the home have unusual nesting sites. Some of the places we’ve found ant colonies in are:
- Vases
- Hollow shower rods
- Hollow interior doors
- Unused cabinetry in a kitchen
Carpenter ant nests are usually located in walls but they can be almost anywhere.
If you suspect that you have carpenter ants in your home, contact Envirocare Pest Control by filling out the form. We’ll be in touch within one business day.