Carpenter Ant Exterminator in Montreal, Laval, and the North Shore

Why Carpenter Ants Are a Real Problem

Carpenter ants (genus Camponotus) don't actually eat wood; they excavate it to carve out galleries for their colony, pushing out the debris as a fine sawdust. Their presence is often a sign of damp or damaged wood somewhere in the structure, as they look for softer wood that is easier to hollow out.

The risk here isn't a health hazard—it's structural. It can take several years for a colony to reach full size, and major damage usually becomes visible after a few years of an untreated infestation. The earlier you act, the less expensive the repairs will be.

How to Recognize an Infestation

• Large black ants (often 6 to 12 mm long) wandering around the house, especially in the evening, as they are active at night.
• Small piles of fine sawdust, resembling pencil shavings, at the base of walls, on windowsills, or in dark corners.
• A faint rustling sound inside walls or woodwork.
• In the spring, the appearance of winged ants indoors—these are the swarmers. If they are emerging from a crack, it means a mature colony is already established inside.
• Wood that sounds hollow when tapped or crumbles easily, revealing smooth galleries inside.