Carpenter ants are a nuissance tomany people and can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to homes.Identifying and treating carpenterants can prevent financial con-sequences from this invading pest.

Many times carpenter ant damage is mistaken for damage caused by ter-mites. While the two insects can bothwreak havoc to the structures of ahome, identifying the differencebetween the pests’ damage can aide in exterminating the offending insect.

Carpenter ants do not eat the woodthey inhabit. Rather, they tunnelthrough soft woods creating cavernswhere they nest and lay eggs. Tunnelscreated by carpenter ants will besmooth and free of debris, calledfrass. Wood that has been dam-aged by termites will be rug-ged and potentially filled with sawdust shavings or mud.

Moisture is the friend ofcarpenter ants. Moist woodis especially susceptible todamage from these ants.Rotting tree trunks, stumps,or roots are often infestedwith carpenter ants.However, healthy, hard,dry wood is moredifficult for car-penter ants toc h a n n e lt h r o u g h .Therefore, elimi-nating moisture from the home is one way to keep these insects from setting up nests indoors.

Much like termites, carpenter antswill swarm in the spring to establishnew nests. It is not uncommon to seewinged ants in search of a new roost.If winged queens are repeatedlyfound indoors, this is a good indi-cation that there is a nest inside of the home.

There are ways to reduce carpenterant numbers indoors. Initially, makesure any sources of damp wood areeradicated. If wood is routinely stored indoors, as is the case for firewood,elevate it to provide ample air circula-tion. Promptly remove tree and shrubstumps and roots around the home.Also trim back any branches thatoverhang a home.

Carpenter ants feed on insects and

Don’t Let Carpenter Ants Damage Your Home

sweet nectars. Reducing food sourcesin the home and promptly cleaning up any spills can help prevent the antsfrom seeking out sweet sources inside.

If carpenter ants prove to be trou-blesome foes, consult with an exter-minator who can assess the situationand propose a treatment option. Ifcarpenter ants are merely found out-doors doing their job as nature’s wood decomposers, leave them be.

Another Insect CarpenterAlso common during the late spring

season is the carpenter bee. Similar in appearance to a bumblebee, carpenter bees are large bees that can be found

hovering around theoutside of a home.

Carpenter beescan be distin-guished frombumblebeesbecause theirabdomen isshiny black,

not furry like ab u m b l e b e e .

Carpenter beescan do damage to a

home by boring perfectly round holes into wood structures. Common nest-ing sites include eaves, window trims,facia boards, siding, wooden shakes,decks, and outdoor furniture. They lay their eggs inside, which will laterdevelop into larvae. While carpenterbee damage is mostly superficial,predators such as birds like wood-peckers may cause additional damage by digging through the wood to eatcarpenter bee larvae. Carpenter beesprefer to attack wood that is bare,weathered and unpainted. Therefore,the best way to deter the bees is topaint all exposed wood surfaces, espe-cially those which have a history ofbeing attacked.

Friday, May 7, 2010

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CITIZEN’S NEWS Friday, May 7, 201016

15 Landscaping MistakesYou certainly want your

lawn and garden to lookbeautiful, but far too oftenhomeowners succumb tomaking landscaping mis-takes. Here are some of themore common gaffes andhow to remedy them.

1. Lawn ornament overkill:Putting too many lawn orna-ments into your yard can take away from the natural beauty of the landscape. If you wantto add a whimsical touch,stick with one or two insteadof many.

2. Improper plant locations: The reason garden centersand nurseries put those caretags on plants is so that youwill know how to care for theparticular plant. You shouldtake into consideration theproper sunlight and exposure your plants will need.

3. Scalping the lawn:It isnot true that cutting yourlawn short will mean lessmowing. The lawn has differ-ent requirements throughout the year. In the coolerweather you can get away with cutting itshorter so that sunlight can penetrate thesoil. In the summer, keep the bladeslonger to maximize water retention andpromote soil shade.

4. Picking the wrong plants: Many peo-ple pick plants because they simply lookgood and not because they’ll be appropri-ate for their yard.

5. Thinking animals won’t bother yourlandscape: Once you plant attractive anddelicious flowering plants you could findyour yard is the new dining spot for a host of wildlife. Intersperse bitter-tasting flow-ers with the sweet ones to deter deer.Birds, rabbits, squirrels and other animals may need barriers to keep them out.

6. Pruning willy-nilly: Many plants pros-per when pruned. However, over-pruning or doing so the wrong way or at the wrong time can harm a plant. Learn the correctway from books or a gardening center.Otherwise, it could be better not to pruneat all.

7. Too much color: A smattering of colorhere and there can be too much and dis-tracting when your landscape is viewed.Instead, choose a color palette and stickwith a few similar hues.

8. Forgetting the family: An ornate gar-den certainly looks pretty, but how prac-tical is it for your way of life? If you havekids, you may have to think about howyour property is used and plan your land-scape around that.

9. Failing to be safe: Follow the rec-

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CITIZEN’S NEWSFriday, May 7, 2010 17

Add Curb Appeal with

ShuttersWindow shutters aren’t a necessary

home element any longer, but they cer-tainly can add decorative appeal to boththe exterior and interior of a home. Today,shutters are largely a decorative accent,but they used to be very functional.

It is difficult to pinpoint just when shut-ters were invented and first used.However, many historians surmise it took place in ancient Greece. It is believedthese shutters were made from fixed mar-ble louvers and provided light control,ventilation and protection from the tropi-cal climate. Eventually builders discovered that wood was a more versatile shuttermaterial, and moveable louvers weremade that could vary the amount of lightor air that entered a dwelling.

Shutters have also had practical appli-cations on this side of the Atlantic.Shutters can protect windows againstwinds and storms, which is why they areoften found on homes in coastal towns.

Decorative and operable shutters gen-erally are sold in three styles: louvered,raised-panel and board and batten.Traditionally, raised-panel shutters wereused on the first floor for privacy, and lou-vered shutters were used on higher levels to allow heat to escape the home.

Homeowners looking to add something a little extra to their homes may want toconsider shutters as a design element.While shutters used to be largely con-structed from wood, now shutters aremade from vinyl or composite materialsfor longer durability. Depending on theirmaterial and the surface to which they are

being attached, shutters can be screwed or nailed directly to the exterior or attachedwith special clips.

Shutters are also at home on the interior of a home. They can replace other window treatments, such as curtains or blinds.Interior shutters were commonly used inSouthern and urban houses. They remaina perfect way to add architectural and his-torical detail to a home.

Interior shutters are generally attachedto a thin frame that rests on the inside ofthe window or the outside of the windowcasing. The shutters will swing open andshut, allowing light into a room or block-ing light and other distractions from enter-ing. They can be an ideal way to add pri-vacy to a home in a decorative manner.

Shutter installation – both interior andexterior – can be a do-it-yourself venture.However, siding companies, windowmanufacturers, and window treatmentretailers may have trained staff on handthat can install your shutters after pur-chase.

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