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This article was co-written by Scott McCombe. Scott McCombe is the CEO of Summit Environmental Sputions (SES), a family-owned company specializing in pest control, animal control and soundproofing solutions for homes in Northern Virginia. Founded in 1991, SES is rated A+ by the Business Improvement Council and has been awarded “Best of the Best 2017”, “Top Rated Professional” and “Elite Service Award” by HomeAdvisor.
This article has been viewed 4,167 times.
Carpenter ants are very common and are extremely harmful insects. If left untreated, ants can spread quickly. Therefore, early detection and eradication of carpenter ants can prevent major damage to structures that would be costly to repair. Please see step 1 below to get started before the problem gets out of control.
Steps
Determine the status of carpenter ants
- Color: usually red, black or colors in between
- Shape: Segmental segment with oval abdomen, thin, angular thorax. The upper bust usually has a smooth and even curve instead of uneven and rough.
- Size: Approx. 10 mm – 13 mm, depending on ant species
- Beard: yes
- Wings: Typical worker ants have no wings. However, male ants can have wings, although they are relatively rare.
- Sometimes carpenter ants build a network of one or more satellites, or main nests outside the structure. They move between nests and shelters inside homes, entering homes through cracks and crevices. At that time, ant nests outside the house are often in tree stumps, decorative wooden slats, wood piles or other sources of moisture. You often find carpenter ants’ paths between nests in the early morning or late evening when they are active. These paths look like a thin line.
- When carpenter ants dig tunnels, they can leave behind “worm shit,” a substance that looks like sawdust. This substance often contains insect carcasses. This is also a sign for you to find out where their nest is. If you see small piles of rot in your home or around, check nearby wooden furniture for tunnels – probe suspicious wood with a screwdriver for holes.
- Carpets – check around doors, fireplaces and other areas with easy exits
- Indoor yard and foundation
- Planted areas – ants like to nest and walk in discreet rows behind trees, stumps, twigs touching the ground, yards, etc. You need to trace the trees to find them. When you see ants walking, try to follow them back to the nest.
- Garden mulch and fallen leaves can host many species of ants other than carpenter ants, such as pavement ants, fire ants and Argentine ants. You should scratch the mulch to check for ant nests.
- Under the soil – potted plants, compost or anything that comes in contact with the soil can be a haven for carpenter ants.
Kill carpenter ants
- Don’t forget that large ant colonies often have smaller satellite nests around. You need to find these nests to ensure that all the ants are destroyed.
- If using the vacuum method, be sure to carefully wrap and dispose of the trash bag in the vacuum cleaner to prevent any surviving ants from escaping.
- If you find ants digging through wood in a wall, don’t cut the wood – this can weaken the structure inside. Instead, call a professional service.
- You should be very careful when using poison baits in your home if you have small children. Make sure children know not to eat ant baits, or keep a close eye on them if they are too young.
- Remember that some of the methods the professional service does require your family to be temporarily out of the house for a day or two.
- Don’t delay contacting a professional – the longer you wait, the larger the nest will grow and the more damaged the wooden structure will be.
Prevent carpenter ants from spreading
- Check around the window for openings
- Inspect roofs and walls frequently exposed to outside weather for leaks
- Keep basements, attics and low spaces in the building well ventilated
- Find and fix leaky pipes
- Clear clogged gutters to clear the flow
- You should also check around where water pipes and electrical cords go into your home, as these areas are very vulnerable to ants. [6] X Research Source
- Tree stumps
- Piles of firewood
- Old trees, especially if the branches touch the house
- Piles of waste materials in the yard
Advice
- Carpenter ants are active at night. At this time, take your flashlight and go outside. Find carpenter ant paths from trees, piles of wood, and nesting sites. You can also trace carpenter ants’ paths from structures and back to the nest.
- Use an outdoor ant bait such as KM Ant Pro ant bait and liquid food bait whenever possible. Carpenter ants often eat aphids, so you should lure them in with food similar to aphids’ sweet nectar; so you can control them for a long time.
Warning
- Do not use insecticidal sprays or insecticides when using ant baits. These drugs will kill the ants when you are trying to lure them to eat the bait, furthermore poisoning the bait.
This article was co-written by Scott McCombe. Scott McCombe is the CEO of Summit Environmental Sputions (SES), a family-owned company specializing in pest control, animal control, and soundproofing solutions for homes in Northern Virginia. Founded in 1991, SES is rated A+ by the Business Improvement Council and has been awarded “Best of the Best 2017”, “Top Rated Professional” and “Elite Service Award” by HomeAdvisor.
This article has been viewed 4,167 times.
Carpenter ants are very common and are extremely harmful insects. If left untreated, ants can spread quickly. Therefore, early detection and eradication of carpenter ants can prevent major damage to structures that would be costly to repair. Please see step 1 below to get started before the problem gets out of control.
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