Carpenter ant control in Kalamazoo, MI
Carpenter ants are the big black ants that nest in damp wood. I find the nest, treat it and the trails leading to it, and show you the moisture that drew them in. You can cover them on the Home Defense plan or book a one-time carpenter ant treatment.
How do I know they’re carpenter ants?
Carpenter ants are the largest ants you’ll see in a Michigan house, about a quarter to half an inch long, black or black and dark red. The signs I look for are:
- Large ants in the kitchen or bathroom at night, when they forage
- Winged ants inside in spring, usually March through June
- Small piles of coarse “sawdust” (frass) under window sills, door frames, or along a baseboard
- Faint rustling inside a wall or ceiling where the wood stays damp
This page is just carpenter ants. For pavement ants, odorous house ants and the small ants on the counter, see my general ant control page.
Carpenter ants or termites?
Carpenter ants don’t eat wood. They chew galleries in wet or softened wood and push the shavings out, which is why you find frass. Termites eat wood and leave mud tubes, not sawdust. I don’t treat termites; if a real estate deal needs a termite report, I do WDI inspections.
How I get rid of carpenter ants
Find the nest
I trace the trails at night-active spots, check the usual wet wood (sills, decks, roof edges, bath and kitchen walls, crawlspaces), and find the main nest or the satellite nests in the house.
Treat the nest and the trails
I treat the nest directly when I can reach it, and treat the trails and entry points inside and out so foragers carry it back.
Fix what drew them in
I’ll show you the wet wood, the leak, or the branch touching the roof. Carpenter ants keep coming back to the same damp spots until those are fixed.
Home Defense or a one-time treatment
- Home Defense plan: carpenter ants are covered, along with four quarterly general pest treatments, a winter service, and free callbacks between visits.
- One-time carpenter ant treatment: a single visit for carpenter ants, paid at service, with a 90-day warranty and no renewal or autopay.
Not sure which makes sense? If carpenter ants are your only problem, one-time is usually fine. If you also see spiders, other ants or mice through the year, Home Defense covers all of it.
Carpenter ant control questions, answered
Are carpenter ants going to destroy my house?
Not overnight. Carpenter ants damage wood slowly, over months and years, and mostly wood that’s already wet. That’s why it’s worth treating them early and fixing the moisture, but it’s not an emergency like a wasp nest by the door.
Why do I see carpenter ants in spring?
Spring is when colonies wake up and when winged ants swarm to start new colonies. Winged carpenter ants inside in March through June usually mean a nest in or very near the house.
Are carpenter ants covered by Home Defense?
Yes. Carpenter ants are covered by the Home Defense plan. You can also book a one-time carpenter ant treatment if you don’t want a plan.
Do I need to be home?
For the first visit, yes, because I need to look inside, especially where you’ve seen the ants. Exterior follow-up work doesn’t need you there.
Do you treat termites too?
No. I don’t treat termites. I do WDI (wood-destroying insect) inspections for real estate, and if termites turn up, I’ll tell you to call a company that does termite treatment.
Where I work
Carpenter ant calls come from all over my service area, especially older and lake homes in Plainwell, Otsego, Texas Corners and Gobles, plus Kalamazoo, Portage and Battle Creek.
VexGuard Pest Control is based in Kalamazoo and serves Kalamazoo, Portage, Battle Creek, South Haven, Three Rivers, Paw Paw, Plainwell, Gobles, Mattawan, Schoolcraft, Texas Corners and Otsego. Also serving Allegan, Vicksburg, Climax, Scotts, Oshtemo, Cooper Township, Comstock Township, and Kalamazoo Township.
Get a free quote
Tell me what you’re seeing and where. I’ll get back to you myself.