By If you suspect a carpenter ant infestation, it’s important to take action to get rid of the colony. A professional can help you locate and destroy the parent nests, which are often situated in rotting logs or stumps near your home. You should also trim bush limbs hanging over your roof and remove any piles of damp wood. These may be where a carpenter ant has started a satellite nest inside your house.
Carpenter ants are attracted to wood with high moisture content. They will access moist wood in wall voids and other areas of your home such as around sinks, tubs, electrical outlets, and door casings. They can also access the wood of your home from outside through cracks in exterior walls and through openings where plumbing pipes enter your house. Look for signs of carpenter ants in your house such as swarming or tracks along the ground, and check for a trail of sawdust leading to your home.
Unlike termites, which have straight antennae, Carpenter Ants Removal ants have curved antennae that curve inward. They also have narrow waists and bodies that are light in color, while termites have wider waists and bodies that are a darker hue. You can also tell the difference between carpenter ants and termites by their wings: Termites have wings, while carpenter ants do not.
Once you identify the location of the main parent carpenter ant nest, you can begin baiting for the ants. You can purchase ant baits at your local hardware store that contain boric acid in dry powder form. The low toxicity of the powder makes it safe for use around children and pets. You should also dust the areas that you’ve seen ant activity in such as along walls, under cabinets, or near sinks and tubs with the powder. The ants will carry the bait back to the nest, and the boric acid will kill the ants and destroy their nest.
As with any insecticide, make sure you follow label instructions carefully and spray the solution around the area of your home where you’ve seen ant activity. This should include 2 feet up the foundation of your home, as well as any wood that could be damaged by carpenter ants such as rotted logs or tree stumps. You should also apply the spray to any entry points that the ants have used to gain access to your home.
You should call a professional if you have not been able to find and destroy the ant nest, even if you have successfully eliminated a few of the ants in your house. The pest control expert can help to ensure that the entire nest is eliminated and to check your home for other possible carpenter ant colonies. The process can be extensive, requiring that you expose interior wall surfaces and exterior siding to locate the nest and replace any framing members that have been weakened by the presence of a carpenter ant colony.
