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Carpenter ants, spiders, and other insects ramping up activity

When you become more active, you want to eat more, right? The same goes for carpenter ants, which is why we’re more likely to see them in the spring: that’s when they emerge from the winter cold and start seeking food for their colony.

The first question, though, is whether those ants have come from outside or are living inside your cottage, explains Mike Sampson of Muskoka Pest Control.

“If you find carpenter ants in your home during late winter or early spring, that suggests the ants are coming from a nest in the building,” explains Mike. “However, if you see activity later in the year, it is harder to tell if the nest is indoors our out.”

This species of ant is especially fond of moist and decayed wood, so they’ll be often found in areas of a building that have been exposed to leaks, condensation, or poor air circulation. The wood isn’t food: rather the ants remove it as they build galleries and tunnels to live in.

“The damage to a building varies but the longer a colony exists in a structure, the greater the risk,” explains Mark Sampson. “If you notice an abundance of ants, or even more than usual for this time of year, the best practice is to bring in local experienced pest control professionals to assess the situation and provide a quality pest prevention plan.”

Mark and Mike say the best control method for carpenter ants is to locate and destroy the nest, replace damaged or decayed wood, and eliminate moisture problems.

Spider control
Spiders can also be particularly active in the spring as their main food sources begin to establish nests and colonies. Aside from being unattractive around a home’s interior and exterior, some spiders will bite if they feel threatened.

Spiders will spin webs anywhere they see fit, but especially around exterior windows and doors. Mike recommends a regularly scheduled treatment in the spring to keep them away from those areas.

In addition to carpenter ants and spiders, Muskoka Pest Control keeps buildings free from mice, wasps and hornets, bedbugs, fleas and more.

Regardless of the pest, preventing the problem is the best solution. A cottage maintenance contract ensures that a professional pest control expert is regularly looking for potential problems.

“It’s always easier, cheaper, and faster to deal with problems when they’re just getting started,” says Mark.

TEXT CHRIS OCCHIUZZI
PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN

www.MuskokaPestControl.com

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