Carpenter Ants Extermination: Where are they hiding and what you should do once their found

The extermination of carpenter ants is done by finding areas where they’re nesting.  Typically, the most common area to find a carpenter ant colony is where some type of moisture exists. The most common areas are the following:

Interior wall cavities
Areas where there have been water leaks
Areas of dense vegetation
Window frames and door frames
Under toilet bowls or showers
Leaky roofs

Carpenter Ant Inspections

The extermination of carpenter ants can be tricky even for the most experienced professional.  The problem with the extermination process is finding the location of the colony.

The first step in any carpenter ant control scenario is to evaluate the structure by providing both an interior and exterior inspection.  During this process you should identify areas of foraging ants, water damage and the presence of frass.  Identifying these areas in many cases will lead the inspector directly to the colony location.

After the inspection process every opportunity to eliminate conducive conditions must be undertaken. By far the most conducive condition that we find is the presence of dense vegetation.  Vegetation allow carpenter ants to breech treated areas, but it also traps moisture against the building.  Ultimately, moisture is what allowed the carpenter ant problem to exist in the first place.

Carpenter Ant Control And Extermination

Carpenter ant control is achieved only when the colony is found and treated directly.  Alternatively, specialty gel baits can be used.  When consumed by the ants and delivered directly to the colony death of the colony occurs. There are also newly formulated liquid products available that aid in the extermination of ants.  The liquids are only available for professional use.

In order to control carpenter ants a professional will use a variety of methods. The specific method used will depend on the location of the colony or the ability or inability to find the nest during the inspection process.

When a carpenter ant colony is found the easiest way to exterminate it is to make a direct application of a pesticide.  This can be accomplished by drilling into the colony and injecting an insecticidal dust.  It’s not advisable that the average homeowner attempt this as the tools you’ll need are specialty tools available only to the professional pest controller.

The homeowner however can provide safe effective control of carpenter ant colonies when they’ve found the colony by opening walls during construction or exposing the nest while it’s hidden under insulation in the basement or attic.  A small direct application of an over the counter product can be applied.  However, it’s important to remember whenever a pesticide is used safety should be your first concern.

In the event a carpenter ant colony is not found, but the presence of carpenter ants remains it may take a professional pest management company to diagnose the problem. During the extremely warm weather months it may be possible for the ants to be foraging from the outside of the home in. The likely culprit during this scenario will likely be the presence of a colony in a nearby tree.  This type of colony would be called a main colony.  If a colony is found inside the home it’s likely a satellite colony.

 If ants are found on the interior portion of the home during early spring the nest is likely located within the home. Assuming there are no obvious indications of a carpenter ant colony found during the preceding inspection the best course of action may be to apply a residual non-repellent product within the home. These products can be used safely by professionals and the success rate is very high.

After the initial service it is usually recommended that exterior maintenance be provided either by the homeowner or a professional to prevent the issue from occurring again.

In conclusion, carpenter ant control can be difficult to find without the proper tools and training. It may be advisable to hire a professional pest management company to control the problem before it gets out of hand.

Also, a carpenter may be needed to repair areas of moisture damaged or carpenter ant damaged wood. The two are usually found together.

If you have carpenter ants or carpenter ant damage, call Envirocare Pest Control at 1-888-879-6481. We can help.