Carpenter Ants: Do I have to call an exterminator? Or...

[retrospective66]

Does anyone know of a good remedy? We're overrun w/the *^$@*#@$^ things! :grr:

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. My personal opinion is to call an exterminator. When there is the

possibility of potential monetary damage to my home, I always call in the experts. Look for "dust" on your window sills. If there appears to be piles of dusty wood shavings on your sills, you've already got a major problem. Good luck. :hi;

[retrospective66]

2. Thank You

And unfortunately we do have them. But you're probably right; this is a job for the exterminators I guess. Bummer.

[SeattleGirl]

3. Let me at 'em!

Got the same problem here at Casa SeattleGirl. So last night,between the ant traps, the shop vac (suck 'em up!) and my fire-starter torch (burn 'em), those freakin' ants don't stand a chance!

I. Am. So. Bad!!!! :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[retrospective66]

4. I wonder what's a more gruesome way to die for them?

Burning or having an apocolyptic shower of Borax raining down on them? :shrug:

Gosh. Are these pests bringing out some as-to-now unrealized sadistic tendencies? :scared:

[Oeditpus Rex]

17. Stop!

You're gettin' me all worked up!




Tough chicks... :evilgrin:

[oneighty]

5. We use an exterminator

First time several years ago they brought an 'Ant sniffing dog', he sniffed out nesting area. Small holes were drilled through the walls and poison injected. I do not recall the dollar figure but it was under two hundred dollars. (The also did spider and carpenter bees)

Our annual follow-up treatments are about sixty-five dollars.

Google carpenter ants. You will see that their presence indicates rotting in wet wood in areas of your construction. That is a problem far worse than the ants.

Sigh.

180

[retrospective66]

6. Thanks for the tip

It's always something isn't it? :-(

[Love Bug]

7. "ant-sniffing dog"

Well, what will they think of next? That's just clever.

[oneighty]

15. Cute friendly Beagle

My wife and I distracted him.

We had to go sit in the back yard while he did his job.

180

[azmouse]

8. I was reading this thread when this ad came on the radio

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2048414&cid=

Call the exterminator first but then you may want to keep something like this on hand.
I don't have ants in my house but they are everywhere in my backyard. I might try this stuff and see if it kills them. The ants in my yard bite me all the time and I think I am allergic to them as I get an itchy welt where they bite.

I hate ants!!!

[uppityperson]

9. Here in WA they swarm in the spring, then pretty much go away.

Edited to add "damp" to the wood.

If it is swarming time, they will be all over in really big numbers. Usually they fly out of their underground nests in the evening and fly and crawl all over inside and out. It takes a couple wks, but eventually they disappear again. Some will have found places to live (like between 2 damp pieces of wood outside, or inside) but most just die.

If it is swarming time, use a vacuum and put rolled up towels in any under door cracks at night. If they are flying around, some winged, some not, this means they are swarming.

If you have none with wings, none flying around, and it is past swarming time and you still have them, then call an exterminator.

This is one of those times you get to live with nature for a while. They are not as fuzzy as bears, but they will usually eventually go away unless you are really unlucky (and have a couple pieces of damp wood accessable to them).

[HEyHEY]

10. I don't get it, are you asking carpenter ants?

;)

[retrospective66]

12. So cute!

Gotta love Canada! :-)

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Carpenter ants: You may want to do some reading

Have included a snip of the article here, but the whole piece is worth reading, as well as the article link following this one.

I would get a professional in to take care of this problem. Carpenter ants can be very damaging to the structure of your home.

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef603.htm

<snip>
When carpenter ants are observed, don't spray them; instead, feed the ants small dabs of diluted honey placed onto the back (nonsticky side) of pieces of masking tape. The best time to do this is late at night since this is when carpenter ants are most active. After the ants have fed on the honey, follow them on their journey back to their nest. Be patient-- eventually the ants will disappear behind a baseboard, cabinet, or into some other concealed location such as the hollow space (void) within a wall, door casing, or porch column.

Treat wall voids and other hidden spaces where ants are entering by carefully drilling a series of small (1/8 inch) holes and puffing boric acid (available at most hardware stores) into the suspected nest areas. The boric acid powder will disperse in the hidden void and contact and kill the ants. If you suspect the nest is in a wall, drill and treat at least 3-6 feet on either side of where ants are entering so as to maximize the chances of contacting the nest. Carpenter ants prefer to travel along wires, pipes and edges. If you suspect the nest location is in a wall, also treat behind pipe collars and behind --not in-- the junction box for electrical switch plates/receptacles. NEVER SPRAY LIQUIDS OR INSERT METAL-TIPPED DEVICES AROUND ELECTRICAL OUTLETS!).



AND
http://www.pestproducts.com/carpenterants.htm

In some areas of the country, carpenter ants (wood ants) cause more damage to structures than termites. They are difficult insects to control and can cause extensive damage to wood members in a fairly short period of time. Carpenter ants do not actually eat wood but excavate galleries within it to use as nesting sites. Foraging activity can occur at any time of day but usually peaks at night. When foraging inside houses, carpenter ants are attracted to sweets, meat, grease and fat.

A carpenter ant colony is usually formed by a queen who begins a nest in a piece of old buried wood or in a partially decayed tree or stump. In mature infestations, there may be as many as ten satellite colonies linked to the parent colony by trails. There is a frequent exchange of workers between these satellite colonies and the main nest. Colonies normally do not produce winged reproductive forms until they are at least three to six years old with emergence of swarmers typically occurring from May through July.

[retrospective66]

14. Wow great info. Thanks!

I'll print some of this out.

But you just gotta love this part....
NEVER SPRAY LIQUIDS OR INSERT METAL-TIPPED DEVICES AROUND ELECTRICAL OUTLETS! Ummm ok. Change of plans I guess. :rofl:

[gollygee]

13. They're awful

my grandma's house had them and she had a terrible time. Call an exterminator ASAP and don't play any games!

Good luck!

[NV Whino]

16. I manage several properties...

call an exterminator.

[Skelington]

18. call thier union. the frickin dock worker doodle bugs were awfull.