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How do I Choose the Best Method of Carpenter Ant Control?

Anna T.
Anna T.

The best method of carpenter ant control is likely to first locate the carpenter ant nest. Once the nest is located, insecticide can be used to kill the ants. It is usually not possible to control carpenter ants unless the nest is found and destroyed. Using insecticide without finding the nest first might keep the ants at bay for a short time, but they will likely return as soon as the effects of the insecticide wear off. There is always a chance that your methods of carpenter ant control will not be sufficient to take care of the problem, and if this is the case, you might have to call a pest control specialist to deal with the ants.

If you want to locate a carpenter ant nest, you may be able to do so by following the trail your carpenter ants are following. Most ants follow scent trails leading from their nests to food sources. Watching where the ants go will likely get you in the general vicinity of the nest location. If the carpenter ants are inside your home, you may be surprised to find that their nest is actually outside. Carpenter ants can get inside houses through cracks in foundation and siding.

Carpenter ant insecticide should disrupt the colony without affecting too many other species.
Carpenter ant insecticide should disrupt the colony without affecting too many other species.

When you find the carpenter ant nest, you can spray or douse it with insecticide designed for killing ants. This should completely take care of your problem unless there is more than one nest close to your residence. If you discover that the nest is inside a wall, carpenter ant control might be slightly more difficult. To deal with ant nests inside walls, you will probably have to drill small holes in your walls and spray some boric acid powder into the holes in the hopes that it will land on the ants. Boric acid can kill ants because the powder contains tiny crystals that stick to insects and dehydrates them.

Controlling carpenter ants may be tougher if a nest is found inside a wall.
Controlling carpenter ants may be tougher if a nest is found inside a wall.

You may also benefit from preventing more carpenter ants from entering your home. Any cracks in your siding or foundation should be sealed up with caulk, and you may additionally want to trim back any vegetation that is touching your house. If you have piles of wood or yard debris stacked up next to your house, you might want to consider moving it to another location. In the event that your methods of carpenter ant control are ineffective, you may have to call in a pest control expert to help you.

Discussion Comments

Feryll

Do you know that ants have been around since the dinosaurs were walking around? They are the most successful insects on the planet, so I guess we might as well get accustomed to dealing with them. We're not going to get rid of them.

Drentel

If there is anyway possible, you want to find the source of your carpenter ants and get rid of the colony yourself. I agree that once you find the colony you can use a variety of chemicals to kill them, and you can usually track the ants and find the colony.

The best way to combat the ants is to use spray to get the ones you see and set bait traps for the ones you don't see. If you can't find the colony, you will have to call an exterminator and that's a cost you want to avoid since you can to do the job for much less.

Sporkasia

Everyone is out to get the carpenter ants. I agree they can be pests when they enter your house, but they are not necessarily bad. They rarely bite, and when they do, the bite is harmless compared to the fire ant bite. As this article points out, many times when you see the ants in your home, thy actually have nests outside.

The key is to clean out around your house and keep the ants on the outside. You can get sprays to treat around the foundations of your house. These sprays discourage all bugs from entering, including carpenter ants. Surely, there is a way we can all get along.

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    • Carpenter ant insecticide should disrupt the colony without affecting too many other species.
      By: Hemeroskopion
      Carpenter ant insecticide should disrupt the colony without affecting too many other species.
    • Controlling carpenter ants may be tougher if a nest is found inside a wall.
      By: mertcan
      Controlling carpenter ants may be tougher if a nest is found inside a wall.
    • If your own methods of carpenter ant control and ineffective, it may be necessary to call a pest control professional.
      By: ahavelaar
      If your own methods of carpenter ant control and ineffective, it may be necessary to call a pest control professional.