Silver Bullet Pest ControlBig black ants marching across the kitchen at night, little piles of sawdust under a window, or ants inside in February? Silver Bullet Pest Control serves Washington Township in Morris County — Long Valley, Schooley's Mountain and the rest of the township — with carpenter ant control that finds and treats the nest, plus help with the small trailing ants that show up in kitchens.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Free quotes • Hablamos español
Text a close-up photo of one ant to 973-510-2585 — we'll tell you if it's a carpenter ant, a small kitchen ant or a termite.
To get rid of carpenter ants, you have to find and treat the nest — usually in wet or damaged wood in the house plus a parent colony outdoors — and fix the moisture that drew them in; spraying the ants you see won't stop them. Silver Bullet Pest Control serves Washington Township, Morris County, with carpenter ant inspections, nest treatment and repair of damaged wood. NJ License 90568B, 4.9 stars on Google, free quotes. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Washington Township is one of the more rural, wooded parts of Morris County. Homes in Long Valley, on Schooley's Mountain and along the roads between them often back right up to the woods, and the South Branch of the Raritan River and its streams run through the township. It's beautiful country — and it's carpenter ant country.
Carpenter ants are the large black (sometimes black-and-red) ants that live in wood. They don't eat wood the way termites do. They chew it out to make galleries for the colony, and they strongly prefer wood that's already damp or starting to soften. Out in the woods that means dead trees, stumps and fallen logs. Around a house it means:
Three things get called "ants" most often around here. Only one of them is the carpenter ant:
The one that damages wood. A few big ants wandering the kitchen in spring is the classic sign; seeing them in winter usually means a nest inside the house.
Odorous house ants, pavement ants and the less common Argentine ants. They're a kitchen nuisance, not a wood problem, and need a different treatment.
Termites eat wood and leave mud in their tunnels. If the damage is packed with dirt, or you see swarmers with four equal wings, it's termites — call for an inspection.
| What you notice | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| A few large ants in spring and summer, mostly in the kitchen | Workers foraging in from an outdoor colony — or a satellite nest in the house |
| Large ants indoors in winter or early spring | A nest inside the heated part of the house |
| Winged carpenter ants inside | A mature colony in the structure |
| Small piles of sawdust-like shavings, sometimes with ant parts | An active nest right above or behind that spot |
| A faint rustling or crackling in a wall at night | Ants moving in a wall void |
| Ants trailing along a power line, branch or downspout to the roof | They're coming in up high — the nest may be in the attic or roof edge |
Carpenter ants often have a parent colony outdoors in a tree or stump and one or more satellite nests in the house. Treating only one usually isn't enough.
Before your visit, a little detective work can save a lot of time:
Carpenter ants are most active from dusk into the night. Use a flashlight (a red filter helps) and see where the trail goes — in and out of a wall, window or door frame.
On a warm evening, check where ants run along the foundation, deck rails, downspouts and tree branches touching the house.
Check under windows, along baseboards, in the attic, in closets and under decks for small piles of shavings.
Write down where and when you see them and text photos to 973-510-2585. Don't spray — it scatters the ants and hides the trail.
Carpenter ant control is about putting the right treatment in the right place:
| Nest location | What we do |
|---|---|
| Wall void near a window or door | Treat directly into the void through small access points, plus the surrounding area |
| Roof edge, soffit or attic | Treat the nest area and the travel routes from the roof, and point out the moisture source |
| Deck, porch or sill plate | Treat the damaged wood and nest galleries, and the soil and wood contact points |
| Outdoor tree, stump or woodpile | Treat or remove the outdoor source and the trails leading to the house |
| Not found yet | Baits workers carry home, combined with exterior treatment of the trails, and a follow-up check |
Every plan includes pointing out the moisture, branches and wood contact that brought the ants in, so they don't move right back.
Carpenter ant damage usually happens slowly and in wood that was already wet. Most of the time it's limited — a window frame, a section of sill, a porch post, a rotted rim joist under a deck. Left alone for years in an older house, it can be more serious.
What we look for:
Once the colony is treated, we can repair damaged wood the same way we do after termites — sill plates, joists, beams and framing — so one company handles the whole job. The leak or moisture problem that started it has to be fixed too.
Not every ant call in Washington Township is about carpenter ants:
Tiny dark ants that trail to sinks, counters and pet bowls, especially after rain. Crushed, they smell like rotten coconut. Many queens and many nests.
Small dark ants that nest under slabs, walks and patios. Look for little piles of sand along cracks in the driveway or garage floor.
Small, light-to-dark brown ants that form huge, connected colonies with many queens and very long, busy trails. Less common in New Jersey than odorous house ants, and easy to confuse with them.
Baits placed where the ants feed, so workers carry them back and share them with the queens, plus outdoor treatment where they enter. Sprays tend to scatter these colonies into more nests.
Not sure which small ant you have? Text a close-up photo. See also Argentine ants in Boonton Township and pavement ants in East Hanover.
For ongoing protection, ask about recurring home pest control, which comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Quotes are free. These change the size of the job:
| Factor | Smaller job | Bigger job |
|---|---|---|
| Nests | One nest found quickly | A parent colony outdoors plus satellite nests inside |
| Location | Exposed or easy to reach | Inside finished walls, roof edges or an attic |
| House | Small, newer home | Older farmhouse, additions, outbuildings |
| Moisture | Dry house | Leaks or rot that keep drawing ants back |
| Damage | None to repair | Sills, joists or framing that need repair |
Washington Township visits are scheduled ahead; same-day is sometimes possible. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Send a close-up photo of one ant and tell us where and when you're seeing them. We'll identify it and explain the plan.
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
They're large black or black-and-red ants, often seen at night, sometimes with small piles of sawdust-like shavings nearby. Text a photo to 973-510-2585 to be sure.
No. They chew galleries in wood to nest, usually wood that's already damp, and push the shavings out. Termites are the ones that eat wood.
Usually yes. Active carpenter ants indoors in winter almost always mean a nest inside the heated part of the house.
Rarely. The nest is hidden in walls or wood, and spraying scatters the workers and hides the trail we need to follow.
Over time, yes, especially in wood softened by leaks. Most damage is limited, but sills, joists and framing should be checked.
Yes. After the ants are treated we can repair damaged wood — sills, joists, beams and framing — and the moisture source needs fixing too.
Small brown ants that form huge colonies with many queens and long, busy trails. They're less common in New Jersey than odorous house ants and are treated with baits, not sprays.
It can. Logs often carry ants, and a woodpile against the house is a perfect nest site. Keep it off the ground and away from the walls.
Visits are scheduled ahead of time, and same-day is sometimes possible. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control holds NJ License 90568B and has over 15 years of experience.
Sí. Hablamos español. Mande una foto de la hormiga por texto al 973-510-2585.
We also handle ants in these towns:
Real photos from our recent jobs. We show only the street and town, never the customer's exact address.
Pest control service for a home on Grove St in New Milford, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Bee & wasp removal for a home on Springfield Avenue in Summit, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Oradell, NJRidgewood, NJParamus, NJWaldwick, NJGlen Rock, NJHaworth, NJRiver Edge, NJRochelle Park, NJMaywood, NJSaddle Brook, NJ
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
