Carpenter Ants In Walls: What the Crackling Sound Means

The sound of carpenter ants in walls can be unnerving to a homeowner but actually hearing carpenter ants is not as common as you’d think.

Envirocare Gets Rid of the Ants in Your Home.

What do carpenter ants in walls sound like?

People describe the sound as:

  • Crackling that is very similar to the sound cereal makes when you add milk
  • Crumpling paper or cellophane
  • Muffled chewing or crackling

What is actually making the sound?

In my experience, the sound that people hear comes from the ants’ mandibles clicking together, or their legs walking on the backside of the drywall.

What should you do if you hear them?

Once you hear carpenter ants in a wall, the rest of the process is actually easy. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The hardest part about carpenter ant extermination isn’t killing the ants, it’s finding them.  If you hear carpenter ants in a wall, you’ve already done the hard part—you’ve found the colony.

“The hardest part about carpenter ant extermination
isn’t killing the ants, it’s finding them.”

Exterminating carpenter ants

To exterminate carpenter ants in a wall, we will drill a hole into the affected portion of the wall and apply an insecticidal dust. The most common materials used are boric acid or a product called Drione. Alternatively, we can use an aerosol with a concentration of pyrethrins.

You’ll know you’ve hit the nest when the sound gets louder, dead and dying ants exit the wall cavity and then finally all sound ceases.

Finding a large carpenter ant nest can be exciting, but if you’re going to do it yourself, be sure to follow the label directions on any pesticide you use.

If you have a carpenter ant colony in your home and need help, simply fill out the form below
or call Envirocare Pest Control at 1-888-879-6481.
We’d be happy to assist you.

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