Carpenter ant damage in wood framing — Delft, Zuid-Holland

Carpenter ants don't eat wood like termites, but they excavate smooth, clean galleries inside structural timbers to nest. Over years the tunneling weakens joists, sill plates, and window headers. You'll see small piles of fine sawdust (frass) below entry holes and hear faint rustling inside walls at night. A pest-control technician identifies the parent colony and satellite nests, applies targeted bait and non-repellent liquid treatment, and recommends moisture fixes that attracted the ants in the first place.