Imagine you are having a quiet night at home, maybe reading a book or watching TV, when you notice a small pile of what looks like sawdust under a wooden window frame. You start to wonder what could have happened to make this happen. You don’t know it, but this harmless pile of junk could be a sign that a much bigger, more complicated story is happening right under your nose. This is the story of carpenter ant frass.
The Mysterious Frass: Getting to the Bottom of It
Carpenter ants are known as the hardworking woodworkers of the insect world because they can tunnel through wood to make their houses. As they dig holes in wooden buildings to make galleries, they can’t help but make frass. Frass is mostly made up of small pieces of broken wood and ant waste. It’s like the sawdust left behind by a carpenter’s saw, except it’s the stuff that ants leave behind when they build their homes.
How to Make a Frass Deposit
Frass layers are one of the most convincing signs that carpenter ants are around. These droppings are often found near where ants live or where they get in and out of the wood. But how can you tell the droppings of carpenter ants from the droppings of other insects? Here are some important things to watch out for:
The texture of carpenter ant frass is different from that of regular sand. It is often smaller and more uniform in size, so it feels like loose sand.
Colour: Fresh frass from carpenter ants can be anything from light tan to a darker reddish-brown. The colour can change based on what kind of wood the ants are digging through. Frass might get darker over time as it picks up dust and dirt.
Carpenter ant droppings can feel a little bit sticky to the touch. This is because ants often mix their waste with saliva before dumping it. This makes it easier for them to work with as they build their galleries.
Frass piles are usually found right under openings or cracks where ants are busy digging. The ants use these holes to get in and out of their homes. If you find frass near these holes, it’s a good sign that there’s a nest nearby.
What to look for as warning signs
When you find frass deposits, it’s important to evaluate the situation to see if you need to look into it more or take steps to get rid of the pests. Here are some things to think about:
Quantity: A small amount of frass might not mean that there is a big problem. But bigger piles of poop or multiple piles in different places could be a sign of a bigger problem.
Consistency: If you clean up frass piles over and over and they keep coming back, it’s likely that ants are digging in the area.
Damage to the wood: Look at the wooden buildings near the feces. Look for damage or signs of tunnelling. If the wood sounds hollow when you tap it or looks weak, it’s a good sign that carpenter ants have been there.
Exploring More: What Should We Do Next?
When you find carpenter ant poop, it’s like finding a secret message left by the bugs. It shows that something much more complicated is going on under the surface. If you see frass and think carpenter ants are at work, you should take the following steps:
- Do a thorough investigation. Carefully look around the frass piles for other signs of ant activity, like ant trails, ants hunting, or the ants themselves.
- Find the Nest: Follow the droppings back to their source to find out where they came from. This can help you find the nest or place where the birds live.
- Get help from a professional. Being able to recognize frass is a helpful skill, but it can’t replace professional pest control. Infestations by carpenter ants can be complicated, with many nests and satellite colonies. Pest control pros know where these problems are and have the right tools to find and get rid of them.
In conclusion, the appearance of carpenter ant frass can be a sign that these hardworking insects are busy in your home’s wooden structures. By figuring out what frass looks like, figuring out how much of it there is and where it is, and acting quickly, you can find out what these tiny architects are up to and get the help of professionals to keep your home safe.
At Ant Exterminator Oshawa we offer long-term solutions that can guarantee the eradication of pest presence throughout the property. We treat residential properties as well as commercial properties.