Can ants make holes in walls?

“Can ants actually burrow through walls and make holes?”

Most ants don't chew through walls the way termites do, but that doesn't mean your walls are safe. It depends on the species, and one in particular is worth knowing about.

Carpenter ants are the main culprit when it comes to ants making holes in your walls. They don't eat wood, but they do excavate it to build their nests, hollowing out galleries through soft, damp, or decaying timber. Over time, this can cause real structural damage. If you're seeing ants coming out of walls or noticing a fine, sawdust-like material near baseboards or window frames, a carpenter ant nest in the wall could be the cause.

Other species — like odorous house ants or pavement ants — don't bore through building materials, but they can still set up an ant nest behind a wall, squeezing through existing cracks, gaps around pipes, or other small openings.

If you're spotting ants on the wall or hearing faint rustling sounds inside it, those are signs worth acting on. A colony established behind a wall is much harder to treat than one out in the open.

Our ant control technicians are trained to identify the species, locate the nest, and apply targeted treatments, including baits that worker ants carry back to the colony themselves. If carpenter ants are involved, we'll also help identify any moisture issues that may have attracted them to your walls in the first place.