What is the best way to get rid of carpenter ants? Should one just call an exterminator?

Similar questions: rid carpenter ants call exterminator.

After over twenty years in the building trades ...My answer is call an exterminator immediately! Sure, there are produsts that are somewhat effective for killing carpenter ants, but the chance of you getting the poison everywhere the ants are living and breeding is a big fat nil. This is your house and it's been invaded by a creature that lives on what your house is made of!

Don't waste too much time getting a professional in there to kill them. Trust me, I've seen some unbelievable damage done by carpenter ants and termites. Part of the problem is, outside to damage they cause, the give an opportunity for other pests to enter your house.

Sources: Experience .

You don't have to use an exterminator - but it's tricky doyourownpestcontrol.com/carpenter_ants.... ants are large, from 1/4 o 3/8 inches long and are dark brown to black, but some may have red or yellow coloration. The black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus, in the east and C. Modoc in the west are the most thoroughly studied species in the United States.

Other species of Camponotus are distributed throughout the country. The queens are slightly bigger. The workers of an established colony very in size.

The usual carpenter ant is large and black, but the Florida carpenter ant, is smaller and ranges in colors from yellow, red, brown to black. INSPECTION :Because Carpenter Ants forage primarily at night, inspections should be made in the eveningor early morning to locate foraging trails and nest sites. The workers have been known to travel as far as 100 yards from the colonyto search for food and water.

A thorough inspection is important to find all the sites. Don't conclude your inspection when one colony is found;several colonies may be present in and around the structure. Inspect wooden structures associated with high moisture,where there may be water damage that produces softened wood.

Carpenter Ants prefer frames and sills of windows and doors,as well as tub enclosure walls, and kitchen and bath plumbing walls. After sunset is a good time of day to see carpenter ants when their activity increases,particularly in the spring and summer. You may want to use a flashlight to observe any obvioustrails and patterns.To locate their nests' sites, focus on these areas:INDOORS* Moisture problems * Wall voids* Attics (especially under roofing and insulation)* Flooring or sub flooring*Ceilings*Windows*Skylights*Hollow doors*Dishwashers*Trash compactors*Plumbing, pipe chases(kitchen/bath) OUTDOORS*Trees*Stumps/ dead trees*Landscape timbers*Woodpiles and fences*Leaf litter*Debris piles*Mulch beds*Door kick plates*Roof lines and gutters*Soffits and vents*Windows and door frames*Utility entrances( electric, cable, TV, telephone, gas lines)*Sheds and doghouses*Trash containers RESIDUAL SPRAYS: FORAGINGAt times you will have foraging ants that come from the outside to the inside, forage for food , then leave going back outside to their nests.

A good defense for such a scenario would be a perimeter treatment with a residual insecticide such as:DEMON CYPER WP, or SUSPEND sprayed on a consistent, quarterly basis. This treatment will also stop new populations of carpenter ants and other invading pests such as roaches and spiders. Spray around the foundation of the structure, around 2-3 feet high as well as around the ground floor doors and windows.

Spray in the garage and basement areas along the baseboards. Both of these products will give you about three months' protection or longer. Suspend is a liquid and Demon WP and Cyper WP are a wettable powders.

They both work well on all kinds on surfaces. TREATING THE VOIDS: COLONIES INSIDE A VOID OR RECESSED AREAHowever, indoor nest are also found in hollow doors, window sills, behind baseboards, or other natural hollow areas. These are the areas that warrant a complete inspection.

Their damage usually indicates water damage and wood decay. If you can determine where their nests are, you can use an aerosol with a crack and crevice tip such as:CB D-Force HPX or INVADER to discharge a spray right to the source. Another good choice for direct contact with a nest is a residual insecticide solution such as : DEMON WP , CYPER WP or SUSPEND.

Spray directly into their nest. This will kill the queen or queens, thereby eliminating the whole population quickly. Note: It is not recommended that you use a liquid insecticide in a wall void.

You can treat wall voids and other hidden spaces where ants hide by carefully drilling a series of small (1/8 inch) holes and dusting the area with a residual insecticide dust such as Delta Dust or you can use an aerosol with a crack and crevice tip. These methods provide a long-term residual effect. If you suspect the nest is in a wall, drill and treat at least 2-6 feet on either side of where ants are entering in order to maximize the opportunity to contact the nest directly, so you can get the queen.

Note:ALWAYS use aerosols or dusts. NEVER use liquid insecticides or metal tipped devices around any electrical outlets. BAITING: FOR BOTH FORAGING CARPENTER ANTS AND CARPENTER ANTS IN RECESSED AREAS.

Another good treatment choice is to bait inside and the grounds outside with a bait like:Advance 375A Select Granular Ant Bait or:Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait Gel. These two baits would allow the foraging workers to take the bait to the queens eliminating the colony /colonies, thereby preventing future outdoor populations from coming inside. Both of these baits works well withcarpenter ants and will hold up outside.

Carpenter ants will feed on sweets sometimes and at other times will feed on proteins. The Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait Gel contains honeydew, one of the major food sources for these ants. The Advance 375 A Ant Bait is protein based for there protein needs.

It would be expedient to use both baits for a complete balance of their dietary needs. Sources: http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/carpenter_ants.htm .

Liquid Terro This stuff is great. Make sure you get the Liquid, they make both indoor and outdoor containers. terro.com/products.php" rel="nofollow">terro.com/products.php It is actually sugar water and borax.

The ants love to eat it. The first few days you will have more ants than you had originally, but they collect the juice and take it back to the hive and hopefully the queen. The Borax actually them slowly disintegrates that small area between the ant's front and hind area.

Dead ants!1 You can also search the web and find recipes to make it yourself with sugar and borax, but easier to just buy it. This is the only thing I found that works. Sources: terro.com/products.php" rel="nofollow">terro.com/products.php and my own use swagmaster's Recommendations Terro Liquid Ant Baits 6pk Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (based on 2 reviews) Insecticide Ant Terro Ant Killer II Liquid 1 Fluid Terro Liquid Ant Baits #1800 3pk Amazon List Price: $7.69 .

" "Your exterminator says "Better call NASA, because these things aren't from this planet. "" "HELP I HAVE ANTS IN MY HOUSE I NEED RID OF THEM HOW I DO IT WE TRIED EVERYTHING" "I have ants eating the liner of my above ground pool. We have tried everything to rid them.

Any suggestions? " "my renters kids' spill food and drinks everywhere! Now they have ants and want me to pay exterminator.

Who's responsible" "How can we get rid of ants from our lawn, economically and environmentally? " "What is a good way to get rid of ladybugs? I'm not looking for an answer about a vacuum cleaner or exterminator.

" "I have these tiny little ants in my kitchen that I never had before. How do I get rid of them?" "does cornmeal work to get rid of ants? " "can cornmeal be used to get rid of ants?

Your exterminator says "Better call NASA, because these things aren't from this planet.

Help I have ants in my house I need rid of them how I do it we tried everything.

I have ants eating the liner of my above ground pool. We have tried everything to rid them. Any suggestions?

My renters kids' spill food and drinks everywhere! Now they have ants and want me to pay exterminator. Who's responsible.

I'm not looking for an answer about a vacuum cleaner or exterminator.

I have these tiny little ants in my kitchen that I never had before. How do I get rid of them?

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.