“People tend to deal with pests on a reactive basis,” says Mark Sampson, owner of Muskoka Pest Control. “They wait until they see ants inside before calling us. By that time, the ants can be well-established in the building. Construction pre-treatment can save so many headaches down the line.” Mark explains that the framing or construction stage provides the perfect opportunity to treat areas of a home or cottage you’ll never have access to again. Licensed technicians focus on the places where ants tend to come in: along sills, headers and by door and window openings. The treatment is designed to penetrate wood up to 2 cm. That way even if some carpenter ants do find their way in, they won’t do any deep damage.

Most people have no idea that pre-treating is even an option. Mark would like to change that. “For a relatively small investment, you can bring peace of mind to a large build or renovation, not to mention adding value,” he says. “If you were shopping for a home or cottage, wouldn’t you prefer one that’s been pre-treated against carpenter ants?”

Unfortunately, pre-treating doesn’t mean you’ll never have any ants. “Nothing is perfect,” Mark says. “We’re dealing with Mother Nature here. Since we’re building in the ants’ natural habitat, some of them will probably find ways in. You have to be ever-vigilant. You can’t just do it once and forget about it.” Ongoing annual pest control is the answer. Particularly in a cottage situation, pests may have weeks to gain a foothold before you discover them. That’s why even if you do pre-treat, it’s still a good idea to be prepared for the few intrepid ants that get past your defenses. For those who’d prefer to leave this task to the experts, Muskoka Pest Control’s Cottage Care Program offers twice-annual visits to ensure that every building on your property is safe from a variety of pests for one annual fee.

“In the end, the ants are coming,” says Mark. “Staying ahead of them means you can relax and avoid nasty surprises.”