Carpenter ant (Photo: Orkin Pest Control)Heydon says not much has changed in the millenia since man used real rock for sheetrock walls. "We basically live in architecturally nicer caves now, but they're still much like caves. They're closed spaces that we hope protect us from nature and the elements and we're shocked when some little creature is able to invade our home."
Most of the pests we face around our homes are well known to us: house ants, mosquitoes, and cockroaches. But what about those weird creatures that look like they've dropped in from another universe, or at least from another continent? Here's a list of six of the creepiest critters you may find on your property and what you can do about them:
Carpenter ants
As their name implies, they're ready to work on your wood and they don't have a contractor's license. Carpenter ants are found in many parts of the U.S. and Canada, and are especially attracted to moist, soft woods. Unlike termites though, they don't actually eat wood. They just enjoy biting through it and creating channels through a beam or two. Once they've found a home, carpenter ants can be difficult to get rid of by yourself. Your best bet is to clear out any damp wood piles around your property line and, if in Florida, be careful. There's a species there that can give you a painful bite.
