Large black or black-and-red ants, a quarter inch or bigger, trailing steadily up and down the trunk, most visible at dusk. Small piles of coarse sawdust at the base or caught in bark crevices, mixed with insect body parts. A hollow sound when you knock on the lower trunk. Sometimes winged ants swarming from the trunk in spring — pinched waist and elbowed antennae, which is how you separate them from termites.
Within weeks
27 crews near Avon · Free estimate · No obligation
Carpenter ants do not eat wood and cannot chew sound heartwood. They hollow galleries in wood already softened by moisture and decay fungi. Their presence tells you a decay pocket exists inside the trunk, usually larger than it appears from outside, and that it stays wet. The ants are tenants, not the cause of the damage — but they are a dependable indicator that the interior is not solid.
This is normally a hazardous tree removal job, which around here runs $800 to $5,000 depending on size and access. Treat that as a range, not a quote — nobody can price it without seeing it.
4883 Gibbs Rd, Plainfield, IN 46168
“If you’re looking for a reliable and efficient tree service, Sharper Image Tree Service truly stands out. From the moment I reached out, their team…”
Sammy Smith · 4 months ago · Google
278 N East St, Plainfield, IN 46168
“I had an excellent experience with Olivos Tree Services Plus Landscaping LLC! They cleared several trees in my backyard that were close to power…”
Alyssa Wiegand · 5 months ago · Google
240 Old North Salem Rd, Danville, IN 46122
“Paul is high energy and an expert in his field. When I first reached out for a quote, he was responsive and came over to assess the work the same…”
James Gillespie · 12 months ago · Google
1078 IN-236, Danville, IN 46122
“These guys saved our bacon! Our job was complicated to put it mildly, and an emergency. We had a tree stump growing around an actively leaking water…”
Jacob Sharp · a year ago · Google
5150 Mecca St, Indianapolis, IN 46241
“Condados Tree Service was able to come out and give me a free quote and put me in their calendar immediately to get an extremely large tree removed…”
Ashe Amos · a year ago · Google
7059 Eagle Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46278
“I was looking for some sidewalk repair and Mr. Martinez was recommended. Absolutely top-quality work at a very reasonable cost. Ruben is a consummate…”
Clint Collins · 2 years ago · Google
8446 N State Rd 267, Brownsburg, IN 46112
“Trees R Us did a fantastic job for us this week. We had 8 trees removed from our property, some of which were very large Ash trees in a fenced in…”
Patty Buckhorn · 5 years ago · Google
7701 S County Rd 375 E, Mooresville, IN 46158
“We used D&S twice now, and we love them. Owner comes out himself to do estimates, he's always on time, Friendly and informative. Then, before he…”
Jennifer Spencer · 2 years ago · Google
820 S Roena St, Indianapolis, IN 46241
“Once again, Benito and his crew went above and beyond! We have used them twice for both tree removals and trimming/shaping. They are so professional…”
Jenny Rollins · 2 years ago · Google
4484 N Vinewood Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46254
“Jesus and his crew did a fantastic job for a fair price! A free quote was provided and the job was started the next week in one day with excellent…”
Nikki · 2 months ago · Google
7532 Brattle Dr, Camby, IN 46113
“Andy and his crew member did not disappoint. They did an exceptional job cutting down my tree and also provided additional services on another. They…”
Susan McAllister · 3 months ago · Google
5050 Freyn Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46254
“Henry, arborist, quoted my job and pointed out a damaged cherry tree two feet from my house I hadn’t seen. I wanted a company with the right…”
Roberta Arsenault · 2 months ago · Google
Distance measured from Avon.