Anybody on here ever had carpenter ants? If so, how did you get rid of them? I know they're not as destructive as termites and don't eat wood, but I'd still like to get rid of them. I think I remember that borid acid works, but I don't know how to get it in the walls. If anyone has a remedy for these, I'd love to hear it.
Carpenter Ants
We got them from a load of firewood years ago. When I moved the woodpile away from the house and the garage, they disappeared.
However, back then we did have an exterminator (friend) who was helping cure the carpenter bees, pigmy wasps and umpteem different types of roaches that were in the house we bought.
He informed me that they did not like the wood in the house or garage because it was old and hard - they prefer fresh wood. And that is why I got them - the firewood was freshcut in the Spring (so much cheaper) for the following season.
I battled Carpenter Ants for about a year, to no avail. I finally gave in and called a local pest control company. From my own limited experience, it is extremely difficult to get the ant poison into the walls and into the correct part of the walls. Save yourself the headache, call the professionals.
Carla
Carpenter ants do indeed eat wood and can be extremely destructive. They actually nest in the wood, unlike termites that nest outside and go back and forth to eat. My parents had to do some major reconstruction on their house - including replacing outside walls - because they didn't find them until after they had already done a huge amount of damage. Please do call a professional.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenter_ant
Ahh.. they don't eat the wood, but they do chew it up in order to make their nests and tunnels. Here's the link to the pesky house-destroying carpenter ant that Mom and Dad had: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_carpenter_ant
Maybe Bill's woodpile ant was a different kind of carpenter ant. :-)
This message was edited Jun 9, 2008 3:21 PM
Or maybe my friend also stopped them when treating for all the other critters, and moving the wood pile prevented the reinfestation.
My biggest concern recently has been termites - both at home and the restaurant. Have not had any in years, but always on the watch for the spring swarms for new queens.
Thanks Marylyn.
Okay, I've called in my regular exterminator and they're on the way. They say they have to pressure spray the side of the house they're active on, including shrubbery, with ant killer "stuff" (technical term). Then they'll go in the attic and spray and then pressure spray some boric acid powder into the wall cavaties. Man, I've had bad bug luck this year with bugs. Just a few weeks ago I had to treat for termites. Luckily they were just starting and were only at the bottom board of a garage wall. We treated and then replaced all the siding on the whole house with Hardi-Plank. You'd think the siding guys would have noticed the ants. Gee, bugs and siding costs are beginning to add up to a very tidy sum. Welcome to Houston, destructive bug captial of the world, and the most profitable city in the U.S. for exterminators and a/c guys!
Crowellli, that's is how we found the termites a decade ago. DS noticed something strange looking about an outside window frame and just kicked it. It exploded.
Called exterminator immediately - he arrived a few hours later.
We stripped the existing siding off nearly half the house to determine the extent of the invasion. The good news - they loved the Masonite siding and did not do any damage to the house framing. Also the fact that I had an eager teenager for all the repair work who is a very good woodworker, too. We completed the job in a week including painting all exposed wood and remaining siding.
Now, I am checking the perimeter of the buildings every time I edge and mow - once was enough.
As an Orkin technician once told me -- "If you live in Texas you've either had termites, have termites, or will have termites." It's probably the same for Carpenter Ants?
Carla
Well, whatever they did, it seems to be working. I have little piles of dead ants everywhere. They're actually in a little pile at the outside corner of the house where they were coming in. Also, another little pile in the inside window frame of a bedroom on that side of the house. I just hope this does the trick. I'm just waiting for the locusts to arrive. That's about the only thing I haven't had yet this year!
I noticed that we seemed to have skipped the June-bug invasion this year, but the chinch bugs will be coming soon.
Killed mine with citronella oil mixed with orange oil spray...