Carpenter Ants

[cbuell]

I knew I shouldn't have pulled off the "packing tape"

[Ted Allen]

Easy enought to fix.

Check here

[klott]

Todd, on the page that recommends treating firewood, is there any danger of toxic fumes when burned?

[Mike Hazelwood]

Originally Posted by klott

Todd, on the page that recommends treating firewood, is there any danger of toxic fumes when burned?

I always recommend throwing out infested firewood instead of treating it and then burning it.

Keep in mind carpenter ants on the interior is just a satalite colony the main colony is outside somwhere. Keep all trees and brush trimmed back away from the house as well as treatment.

[klott]

10-4

[wforsyth]

They keep marching through my house. Just about five or so at a time at night. HUGE suckers. But they're following the same path, which leads me to believe my house is just in the way and they're going through it. Then today, I saw a winged one sitting on my car in the driveway. Yay.

[Mike Hazelwood]

Originally Posted by wforsyth

They keep marching through my house. Just about five or so at a time at night. HUGE suckers. But they're following the same path, which leads me to believe my house is just in the way and they're going through it. Then today, I saw a winged one sitting on my car in the driveway. Yay.

The carpenter ants are following a pharamone trail (forgive me for my spelling) which is leading them to food or water.

Make sure you have no dripping faucets, food left out etc., go to the exterior wall where the trail finishes or starts and wipe the trail down with a wet rag. when the pharamone trail ends they just turn around and follow it back where they came from. This is not a replacement for treatment contact your local Pest co. for treatment. Keep all trees limbs and brush cut back away from the house. They are a part of nature so you are going to see them outside, you just dont want them in your house.

They do not eat and digest wood like termites do, they excavate the wood and can still be destructive.

They can get big enough to carry off a small pet. Just kidding.

[rdawes]

I once asked the pest control guy that I refer my clients to how to identify carpenter ants. He said "you have to get real close and look for the really tiny tool belts."

[wforsyth]

ROFL!!! Too cute!

[lfoster]

Was present one time when exterminator was treating for small ants in kitchen. He used liquid mix of boric acid and water. Also wiped down cabinets to remove the pheramone trail. That's how they keep using the same path again, and again.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Originally Posted by lfoster

Was present one time when exterminator was treating for small ants in kitchen. He used liquid mix of boric acid and water. Also wiped down cabinets to remove the pheramone trail. That's how they keep using the same path again, and again.

Linda, are you saying a mixture of boric acid and water was what wiped out the pheramone trail, or that was the extermination chemical and wiping with something else tok out the trail?

[lfoster]

Kenton,
Boric acid / water was extermination chemical. Exterminator also used same mixture (he said) on cloth to wipe counter top pheramone(?) trail.

I know in the past I have taken boric acid and mixed with peanut butter. Fill the inside of a straw with the mixture and cut the straw into 1" pieces. Put in out of the way places in cabinets. Peanut butter odor calls the ants, boric acid gets them.

[Ted Allen]

Originally Posted by klott

Todd, on the page that recommends treating firewood, is there any danger of toxic fumes when burned?

I would not burn wood that has been treated with toxic stuff.

[wsiegel]

The best way to kill carpenter ants is to find their nest, which you can usually do early in the morning or at sundown when they are active. All you have to do is have a little patience and follow their trail. If you can get to their nest, boric acid works real well. If they are living high up in a tree, other methods take longer but work.

[Sam Willard]

Originally Posted by tallen

Easy enought to fix.

Check here

Or here.