Guide to Treat & Get Rid of Carpenter Ants from ePestSolutions

1
Carpenter Ant Biology and Treatment
2
Carpenter Ant

• General Information
• Live in colonies
• Live primarily in wood
• Presence may be indicative of underlying problems
• Proper identification makes control that much
  easier

3
Carpenter Ant

• Insecticide Treatment
• Direct access to the source may be needed, which
  may include drilling into
• Window/door sills
• Baseboards
• Wall voids

4
Carpenter Ant

• Insecticide Treatment
• There are many insecticides that can be used
• Premise foam is easily applied to affected areas
• Dusts such as Drione, Delta Dust, and Eco Dust
  works as well, as the dust spreads from one ant
  to another via contact

5
Carpenter Ant

• Insecticide Treatment
• Preserving exposed wood is possible with
  application of such products as Bora-care,
  Timbor, Borrada D, and Borrada LP
• Baits are also effective, as ants bring the food
  back to the nest. Example products include
  Advance Carpenter Ant Bait, Niban, and Maxforce
  Carpenter Ant Bait.

6
Carpenter Ant

• Identification
• Large, black ants (among the largest in the U.S.)
• Minor workers ¼ in. Major workers ½ in.
• 7/16 in. for winged reproductive
• 9/16 in. for flightless queen

7
Carpenter Ant

• Differentiating between termites and ants
• Ants
• Small, constricted waists
• Wings of unequal length
• Antennae bent at right angles
• Termites
• Not narrowed at middle
• Wings of equal length
• Antennae straight, not bent

8
Carpenter Ant

• Diet
• Omnivorous feed on both plant and animal matter
• Includes both natural sources, as well as human
  food items as well
• Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not digest the
  wood they live within
• Foraging takes place in the night hours

9
Carpenter Ant

• Nesting sites
• Make nests in dead wood the easier to enter the
  better
• Wet, damp wood is a high possibility of nest site
• May stake claim to abandoned termite nests

10
Carpenter Ant

• Typical locations include
• Wood affected by water (such as from leaky pipes)
• Wood in contact with soil
• Areas of condensation or poor ventilation
• Voids under bathtubs
• Hollow doors and ceiling beams
• Voids above windows, doors and bay windows

11
Carpenter Ant

• Management Inspection
• Carefully examine and inspect the structure
• Check outside sources as well dead wood and
  sometimes even living trees
• Carpenter ants travel far (100 yards) to find
  food sources
• It is possible to find other wood infesting pests
  along with your inspection for carpenter ants

12
Carpenter Ant

• Prevention
• Fix or replace wet or decaying wood, these are
  prime nest locations
• Plumbing should be repaired immediately as leaks
  may damage wood
• Make sure there is proper clearance between soil
  and structural wood
• Provide good ventilation under the house and in
  the attic
• Drain water away from the structure

13
Carpenter Ant

• Prevention
• Drain water away from the structure
• Remove stumps, logs and wood debris near the
  house
• Firewood should be kept at a large distance from
  the home
• Any shrubbery or trees touching the structure
  should be trimmed back
• Remove or treat with insecticides any carpenter
  ant colonies within 100 feet of the house
• Keep exposed wood in good condition