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How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants

February 12, 2024 by admin Category: How To

You are viewing the article How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants  at Tnhelearning.edu.vn you can quickly access the necessary information in the table of contents of the article below.

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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.

Table of Contents

  • Steps
    • Determine the status of carpenter ants
    • Kill carpenter ants
    • Prevent carpenter ants from spreading
  • Advice
  • Warning

Steps

Determine the status of carpenter ants

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 1

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 1

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Learn to identify carpenter ants. Carpenter ants belong to the species Camponotus, of which there are over 1,000 varieties of ants. [1] X Source of Research Carpenter ants live on all continents except Antarctica and have many different characteristics depending on the breed. However, the common characteristics of these ants will help you determine if the ants in your home are carpenter ants or something else. Some common features to look out for are: [2] X Research Sources

  • 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.
Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 2

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 2

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Find out where carpenter ants live. Carpenter ants can (and will) build nests inside or outside of any structure, but wooden houses are especially at risk because carpenter ants love to dig tiny tunnels in the wood. Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood – they just dig tunnels into structures to build nests. [3] X Source of Study Damp wood is more chiseled than dry wood, so indoor locations where carpenter ants live are often near water sources such as leaking sinks or bathtubs.

  • 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.
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Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 3

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 3

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Know where carpenter ant activity can be found. Although carpenter ants often nest in wood, it can be difficult to find if the nest is in the wall of a house. If you suspect carpenter ants in your home, you should look for them in vulnerable places where you can find them. Some common locations in the home are inherently more favorable to carpenter ant activity than others – especially places that are damp or have a food source. You can find carpenters in the following areas:

  • 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

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 4

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 4

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Exercise caution when dealing with carpenter ants. Although unlikely, this warning should still be mentioned: do not come into direct contact with carpenter ants or their nests. Carpenter ants are not particularly aggressive and do not usually bite people. However, when provoked or threatened, they can also bite and cause pain. They also secrete formic acid into the bite, increasing the pain. Although a carpenter ant’s bite isn’t too serious, you shouldn’t get hurt by avoiding touching the ants and their nests unless absolutely necessary, wearing long sleeves and gloves.
Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 5

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 5

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Locate the ant nest. The first step to getting rid of a carpenter’s nest is to find the nest. To locate ant nests in your home, pay close attention to ants, small holes, and piles of dung in the locations described in part 1, paying particular attention to areas with damp wood. . You can also check near the wood surface for ants by tapping hard. Wood that is heavily chiseled will sound thinner and more hollow than unaffected wood. The knocking also wakes the ants, causing them to crawl out of the nest, and you will see them more clearly.

  • 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.
Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 6

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 6

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Destroy or remove the ant nest. For nests that are small or relatively accessible, sometimes you just need to remove the nest. If the ant nest is outside, just carefully dispose of the wood with the ants in it, remembering to use impenetrable materials like tarpaulin to protect yourself from being bitten by the ants when handling the log. For indoor ant nests, some pest control websites recommend using a vacuum cleaner to destroy the nest and suck the ants out. [4] X Research Sources

  • 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.
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Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 7

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 7

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Use ant bait for ant nests that cannot be handled directly. You can’t always find ant colonies. However, if you see a large number of ants, placing insecticides in their path can help control and eradicate the nest. There are different types of baits, traps and ant repellant products on the market – you can visit your home store to find the right products.

  • 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.
Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 8

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 8

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Contact professional service. If ant nests cannot be identified and removed quickly or self-extermination measures fail, it is best to contact a professional exterminator. They can use insecticides and other tools that are not commercially available, but more importantly their expertise and experience can help identify and treat carpenter ant infestations. more effectively than non-specialists.

  • 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

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 9

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 9

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Eliminate sources of moisture. Humidity is an important factor that facilitates the spread of carpenter ants. Normally, wooden objects will be vulnerable to ants after being exposed to moisture. By repairing and sealing water leaks into your home, you will make it much more difficult for carpenter ants to build a nest. Here are some suggestions to help remove moisture: [5] X Research Source

  • 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
Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 10

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 10

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Seal entrances, openings and cracks. If the carpenter ants can no longer enter the house, the satellite ant nests fed by the larger outside nests will be isolated and the ants will die. Check for cracks, crevices on the exterior of your home, and other small gaps that ants can get through – paying particular attention to areas on the exterior walls of your home that are close to the ground or floor. Seal any holes found with sealant or putty.

  • 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
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Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 11

Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 11

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Remove wooden materials near the house. Carpenter ants prefer to nest on wooden objects inside and outside of a building, so finding and removing architectural wooden materials can prevent ants from entering. Carefully inspect every source of wood. You need to pay attention to the following areas: [7] X Research Sources

  • Tree stumps
  • Piles of firewood
  • Old trees, especially if the branches touch the house
  • Piles of waste materials in the yard
  • Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 12

    Image titled Kill Carpenter Ants Step 12

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    Consider creating a barrier. If carpenter ants recur, you may want to consider creating a gravel or stone ring around your home. This “barrier” is an unfavorable environment for carpenter ants and can prevent them from crawling into the house through holes in the foundation. You should discuss the implementation and cost of this project with the construction contractor, or you can do this work yourself if you are skillful.
  • 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.
    X

    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.

    Thank you for reading this post How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants at Tnhelearning.edu.vn You can comment, see more related articles below and hope to help you with interesting information.

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