Carpenter ants can be found in many places and are known to form huge colonies.These ants are not harmful to humans and rarely bite them. However, they are known to bite humans out of self-defense.The Carpenter ant bite can burn for a while but will not be harmful in any way to the health of humans. Only a burning sensation is felt after Carpenter ants bite, and that is not even severe. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, the bite may not be of a Carpenter ant. You must contact your physician as soon as possible if the bite is infected or if you have an allergic reaction. Carpenter ant bites are not harmful and do not look like the bites or stings of other bugs. Read on to learn more about Carpenter ants, their bites, and how to get rid of them!If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about how do jellyfish eat and how do jellyfish reproduce here on Kidadl?Carpenter Ant FactsCarpenter ants are black, red, or brown colored bugs. They have three body sections, antennae, six legs, and some of them also have wings. They are tiny in size and range between 0.2-0.7 in (0.5-1.7 cm) in length. They may look small to us, but they are pretty big when compared to other ant species, such as Fire ants. They may even grow up to a length of 1 in (2.5 cm). They are known to live in the northern part of the United States and live in a house typically.Carpenter ants are very common and contain numerous species. There are more than 1,000 species of these pests, including the Golden Tail Sugar ant and the Black Carpenter ant. Carpenter ants are mainly active at night, meaning they are nocturnal. They are commonly spotted at night time when humans retire to their beds.Carpenter ants are similar to termites and will chew through wood easily and quite fast. However, termites are quite different from Carpenter ants. Termites are quicker in destroying the structures of wood in a house. Termites do not bite humans either. However, termites are also winged insects and live across the United States. If either of these pests is found living in your house, you must call pest control.Symptoms Of A Carpenter Ant BiteCarpenter ants are brown, black, and red-colored ants that form colonies in houses of people. They dwell all across the United States and are commonly found, especially in the northern region. Even though the bites of these Carpenter ants do not harm people’s health, and they rarely bite, it doesn’t mean that they will never bite and there is no discomfort.This insect possesses powerful jaws that can break the skin and cause a strong bite. As mentioned earlier, they do not bite. However, they will bite if doing so in self-defense. After the pest has delivered the jab, the person who experienced it will feel a burning sensation. This sensation will disappear in a short span. It would be best if you did not underestimate the bite of this pest and should avoid playing with or irritating these ants.The Carpenter ant bite appears to be a blemish that is about the size of a pea. If this pest attacks, you could feel a pinch along with a burning sensation caused due to the formic acid that this insect sprays when it bites. Formic acid is not painful; however, it does add to the pain’s intensity.What to do if you’ve been bitten?First, you should identify for sure that the bite is a Carpenter ant bite. Even if one gets stung by a Carpenter ant, it is not as painful as a fire ant. The Carpenter ants are not even harmful, but fire ants are. A Carpenter ant delivers a mild bite; however, a fire ant can deliver a painful sting. These pests possess strong jaws that are capable of making nests by chewing wood. Therefore, they can even suck blood.The fire ant sting can cause an allergic reaction or even an infection. Fire ants are 0.7 in (1.7 cm) long, reddish-brown colored creatures. Fire ants are prevalent across the country, and so are fire ant stings.Carpenter ants bite creatures such as pets or humans when they feel threatened. Many Carpenter ants would attack you if you threatened their colony. If one ant or more ants bit you, you will suffer from minor irritations.To start, you should change where you are standing so that no more insects can bite you. You can then treat the bitten area of your skin with water and soap. After washing it, you can place a cool cloth upon the bite. If the bite breaks through the skin, you may need to treat it with antibiotics. All the signs and the burning sensation caused by the sting will disappear in one to two days.Even though Carpenter ant bites do not cause any harm to the individual’s health, there is a slight chance that the person may experience fever, long duration of pain, or swelling on the site of the bite. The swelling and fever may be a sign of an allergic reaction or infection which can be dangerous. This is the cue to contact a professional and seek medical advice.How to get rid of carpenter ants?Carpenter ant bites may be harmless to us, but they can ultimately damage the structures made of wood in a house. They do not eat wood, as termites do, but they tunnel into the wood. They do so to construct large colonies. Even though it may look like it is a relief, it is not. Carpenter ants can infest a home and damage all the wood there is by making it hollow. This species is very tough to control and could easily and quickly invade in large numbers. When these ants construct their nest, they chew the wood and leave out small sawdust piles. If you notice such piles of fine wood, then you know that your home is infested with these insects.If you notice a single Carpenter ant, that is also an indication that Carpenter ants are setting up shop in your house. When these pests start building their nests, some ants go out to inspect their surroundings. A single ant roaming around could be a sign that there are hundreds or even thousands of insects in your home. If you spot a winged ant, then that would be a definite sign of an infestation.Seeing winged ants confirms that nests have been constructed already, and they are only expanding further. The first step in getting rid of Carpenter ants would be to locate the nest, as it is the root of your problems. Eradicating the nest would remove hundreds of Carpenter ants in one go. Don’t go out looking for the nest just yet. It would be best if you also used an insecticide spray.To locate the nest, you must look for signs outdoors, indoors, and near walls. However, this is not recommended as the Carpenter ants might attack you to destruct their nests, which can be dangerous and leave you with multiple stings. Your Carpenter ant problem can only be solved once the nest is located and the colony is eradicated. You may need to ask the advice of pest control professionals, as they can eliminate these pests successfully.You can avoid getting a Carpenter ant infestation by removing all water sources close to these creatures’ colonies. You must also remove any moist wood near the nest. Keep lumber and woodpiles far away from your home as they attract Carpenter ants more than anything. There also must not be any trees or plants that touch the outer walls of your home as Carpenter ants use these to enter homes.If your windows have any cracks in them, they must be sealed as Carpenter ants can even crawl into the house through them. A homemade mixture of sugar and boric acid can be used as an ant spray. This mixture must be kept far away from pets and children and must not come in contact with them. If these methods prove ineffective and you still get a colony of Carpenter ants in your home, you must call for professional help.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Carpenter ant bite, then why not take a look at caterpillar cocoon or Carpenter ant facts.
Carpenter ants can be found in many places and are known to form huge colonies.
