Black Carpenter Ants

Sunbeam lodge · 07-27-2009, 11:00 AM

Has anyone been experiencing Black Ant problems since the rain began? We seem to have a large amount entering the house. Mostly at night. I am wondering if the problem is caused by the rain and whether they will retreat when it dry's out.

Slickcraft · 07-27-2009, 11:20 AM

We saw a few early on but our usual treatment has eliminated them.

We use a bait product called “Revenge”, a thick solution of sugar syrup and boric acid purchased at Agway. There are other similar products.

Drops of the solution are placed on small squares which in turn are placed where you see the ants. The worker ants eat the bait (encourage them to eat-up) then take it back to the nest where it is fed to the queen and the larva, all of which will be killed. In about a week the ants will be gone.

ishoot308 · 07-27-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

We saw a few early on but our usual treatment has eliminated them.

We use a bait product called “Revenge”, a thick solution of sugar syrup and boric acid purchased at Agway. There are other similar products.

Drops of the solution are placed on small squares which in turn are placed where you see the ants. The worker ants eat the bait (encourage them to eat-up) then take it back to the nest where it is fed to the queen and the larva, all of which will be killed. In about a week the ants will be gone.

Slickcraft;

I am going to have to get me some of that "revenge stuff!!You must have sent all your ants packing down to my place!

Dan

NightWing · 07-27-2009, 12:32 PM

Revenge is intended for use on sugar or grease ants. Carpenter ants are treated with Advance or Dominion, both available from Agway.

They sell kits for controlling carpenter ants, but they aren't cheap.

The active ingredient in Revenge is boric acid, which is a common drug store item.

DickR · 07-27-2009, 12:34 PM

You can google up all sorts of info on the boric acid/honey recipes, so you can mix your own up from commonly available stuff.

Having ants come in is one thing, but you always wonder if they are nesting in the walls. Carpenter ants prefer wet wood to chew out for nesting space, so the remark about them appearing following the wet weather makes me wonder if you have a problem with water getting in somewhere. Common places would be around windows (typically not installed and flashed correctly) and at corner boards, where the housewrap or tarpaper wasn't wrapped around the corner before the corner boards and siding were installed.

NightWing · 07-27-2009, 12:39 PM

If you have carpenter ants, do not delay or ignore them. We just had a massive home repair that was necessary due to undetected wet rot and carpenter ants. The repairs took 3 months and totaled up to 41K.

Slickcraft · 07-27-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightWing

Revenge is intended for use on sugar or grease ants. Carpenter ants are treated with Advance or Dominion, both available from Agway.

Unfortunately for all of the carpenter ants we have dealt with over the years, they did not know that they were not supposed to like the sugar syrup. They devoured the Revenge and a few days later were gone.

CrawfordCentury · 07-27-2009, 02:07 PM

Borax is what we use at first sight. You'll find it in the laundry detergent section of the department store. It comes in powder form. Sprinkle liberally at points where the ants may be gaining entry.

Use caution if you have small children.

A benefit of Borax is that you can use it in your laundry when the ants are gone. My wife likes it just as good as OxyClean - and it's a lot cheaper.

hilltopper · 07-27-2009, 02:33 PM

I was dumb enough to put some fire wood in my barn last fall. I started noticing the little piles of wood dust last week. I assume it's the fire wood and not the rain, but who knows. The problem is, judging from the wood dust locations, the ants are on the underside of the roof...about 40 feet up. Not sure what to do in this case except seek a professional's help (anyone know of an exterminator in the Meredith area?). The next problem is I have bats in the barn in the same general area and don't want to kill them. Lesson learned.

NightWing · 07-27-2009, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Unfortunately for all of the carpenter ants we have dealt with over the years, they did not know that they were not supposed to like the sugar syrup. They devoured the Revenge and a few days later were gone.

According to the Revenge web site/product information, that product is for sugar and grease ants... the common household ants.

They do make a #370 spray that is for carpenter ants and termites.

If your ants succumbed to the bait traps, maybe they weren't carpenter ants.

I don't mean to start an argument, but it seems as if the manufacturer would be aware of how their product performs best.

CrawfordCentury · 07-27-2009, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hilltopper

I was dumb enough to put some fire wood in my barn last fall. I started noticing the little piles of wood dust last week. I assume it's the fire wood and not the rain, but who knows. The problem is, judging from the wood dust locations, the ants are on the underside of the roof...about 40 feet up. Not sure what to do in this case except seek a professional's help (anyone know of an exterminator in the Meredith area?). The next problem is I have bats in the barn in the same general area and don't want to kill them. Lesson learned.

Hard tellin' not knowin', but I wouldn't jump to the ant conclusion. They might be powder post beetles, which leave small piles of very fine dust.

Without seeing the dust, their location, and the relation of the piles to the potentially infected source, I couldn't say for certain.

I will say that the likelihood that dust is falling 40' to form perfect little piles is unlikely.

Is it possible for you to post up a few pics?

Slickcraft · 07-27-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightWing

If your ants succumbed to the bait traps, maybe they weren't carpenter ants.

I don't mean to start an argument, but it seems as if the manufacturer would be aware of how their product performs best.

Excuse me but I do happen to know what a carpenter ant looks like.

NightWing · 07-27-2009, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Excuse me but I do happen to know what a carpenter ant looks like.

Perhaps you should contact the makers of Revenge and let them know of your success.

jrc · 07-27-2009, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Excuse me but I do happen to know what a carpenter ant looks like.

rick35 · 07-27-2009, 09:10 PM

We had a bad bout of carpenter ants this year. I first noticed a pile of sawdust around the back side of the camp where it doesn't get any sun. When I peeled back the siding I found that they had already tunneled into the 2x4's. I didn't have anything to hit them other than wasp spay but it killed them on contact. They poured out of the opening into a pool of black. Before I left to come home I fired off an ant bomb which did a pretty good job as we found a lot of dead ants when we returned the following weekend. I've since gone out a few times and sprayed around the foundation and so far we haven't seen any more ants.

hilltopper · 07-28-2009, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawfordCentury

Hard tellin' not knowin', but I wouldn't jump to the ant conclusion. They might be powder post beetles, which leave small piles of very fine dust.

Without seeing the dust, their location, and the relation of the piles to the potentially infected source, I couldn't say for certain.

I will say that the likelihood that dust is falling 40' to form perfect little piles is unlikely.

Is it possible for you to post up a few pics?

I know what you're saying about perfect piles after a 40 foot fall. I only thought this because the majority of the piles are on the floor and there does not appear to be any hole underneath the piles. I'll get a picture tonight.

Slickcraft · 07-28-2009, 07:51 AM

From:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...ng/DK1015.html

"Carpenter ants feed on sources of protein and sugar. Outdoors, carpenter ants feed on living and dead insects. They are also very attracted to honeydew, a sweet liquid produced by aphids and scale insects. Aphids and scales feed on trees, shrubs, and other plants. Indoors, carpenter ants feed on meats, as well as syrup, honey, sugar, jelly, and other sweets. Carpenter ants DO NOT eat wood. They remove wood as they create galleries and tunnels.

Most foraging is done at night between sunset and midnight during spring and summer months. Sometimes workers travel up to 100 yards from a nest in search of food".

"Baits

If the nest cannot be located, baits may be an effective alternative. Baits work by combining an attractive food source with a slow-acting toxicant. A delayed toxicant is critical because it allows the ants to forage normally for days or even weeks. During that time, ants consume the bait and return to the nest to share the bait with the rest of the colony. In a process known as trophallaxis, one ant regurgitates its stomach contents to another ant. This food sharing behavior enables the bait to be spread throughout the colony before the toxicant takes effect.

There are a few baits available to nonprofessionals for carpenter ant control. Most retail products are liquid or granular formulations containing hydramethylnon, sulfluramid, abamectin, or boric acid. An inexpensive liquid bait of 1% boric acid in a 10% sugar water solution can be mixed at home, but it is very slow acting and must be constantly replenished. Baits vary a great deal in their effectiveness. Carpenter ants have complex food preferences, and some of the sugar-based baits will not be attractive to the ants long enough to be successful.

The keys to successful baiting are placement and monitoring; a bait cannot be effective if it is never encountered by ants. Place the bait only in areas where activity has been seen or is strongly suspected. After offering the bait, monitor it over 24 hours for feeding activity. Any bait that is ignored should be substituted with another, and any that is consumed should be replenished. Remember that increased ant activity around baits is a good sign. Never apply insecticides on or around baits because this will prevent feeding and render baits useless. Do not spray or dust other areas of the home, especially where carpenter ants are seen, as this can reduce the effectiveness of the bait. Be patient—baits can take weeks or months to achieve control.

Professional pest control personnel are trained in baiting techniques and have access to a wider variety of products than consumers. They are more likely to achieve positive results. Contact a licensed pest control company if you prefer the expertise and experience of a professional".

BGB2 · 07-28-2009, 08:47 AM

While the ants may be more active when it is wet or in the summer, they never really go away. By coincidence, I have a Terminex service scheduled for this morning for carpenter ants. They charge $75 per visit for four quarterly visits. There was an initial visit that cost more. Unfortunately, I don't remember that charge. The ant problem occurred last year in our garage and an area of the house that was damp. I couldn't get rid of the ants myself as they had nested in the walls. I tried multiple kinds of insecticides. While I hate to spend money on something as boring as killing bugs, I know several people who had costly repair bills caused by carpenter ants and/or termites. Also, ants/termites are a real problem if you ever want to sell your property.

Exterminators are very different when it comes to pricing and services. If you retain one, I recommend you shop around. Also, you can often get a break on their listed prices and services. If an exterminator is inflexible on price-service, you can tell them to bug off.

Good luck.

Lakesrider · 07-28-2009, 08:06 PM

Well now. Good timing on this thread. I just started a new deck project on my house. The old deck was too small and we needed a screen room. So I proceeded to take down the old deck. I removed the ledger board, which was simply nailed to the siding. No flashing, no bolts, nothing to stop water penetration into the sill. The siding basically was mush. I could almost wring water out of it if I tried. So, anyway, this is what I found. I now have to cut back the siding and sheathing, cut out the band joist and replace the sill. Oh yah!

Get someone out there to get rid of those little B--t-r-s......

07-27-2009, 11:00 AM	#1
Sunbeam lodge Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Meredith/Naples Florida Posts: 367 Thanks: 135 Thanked 50 Times in 26 Posts	Black Carpenter Ants Has anyone been experiencing Black Ant problems since the rain began? We seem to have a large amount entering the house. Mostly at night. I am wondering if the problem is caused by the rain and whether they will retreat when it dry's out.

07-27-2009, 12:32 PM	#4
NightWing Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 410 Thanks: 4 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Revenge is intended for use on sugar or grease ants. Carpenter ants are treated with Advance or Dominion, both available from Agway. They sell kits for controlling carpenter ants, but they aren't cheap. The active ingredient in Revenge is boric acid, which is a common drug store item. __________________ In the dead of night they come - Swift - Silent - Savage

07-27-2009, 12:39 PM	#6
NightWing Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 410 Thanks: 4 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	If you have carpenter ants, do not delay or ignore them. We just had a massive home repair that was necessary due to undetected wet rot and carpenter ants. The repairs took 3 months and totaled up to 41K. __________________ In the dead of night they come - Swift - Silent - Savage

07-27-2009, 02:07 PM	#8
CrawfordCentury Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somewhere betwixt Gonic and Chocorua Posts: 191 Thanks: 13 Thanked 30 Times in 21 Posts	Borax is what we use at first sight. You'll find it in the laundry detergent section of the department store. It comes in powder form. Sprinkle liberally at points where the ants may be gaining entry. Use caution if you have small children. A benefit of Borax is that you can use it in your laundry when the ants are gone. My wife likes it just as good as OxyClean - and it's a lot cheaper. __________________ Plant a garden. Heat with wood. And thank a veteran.

07-28-2009, 07:51 AM	#17
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and The Taylor Community Posts: 3,301 Thanks: 1,222 Thanked 2,088 Times in 955 Posts	What they eat From: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...ng/DK1015.html "Carpenter ants feed on sources of protein and sugar. Outdoors, carpenter ants feed on living and dead insects. They are also very attracted to honeydew, a sweet liquid produced by aphids and scale insects. Aphids and scales feed on trees, shrubs, and other plants. Indoors, carpenter ants feed on meats, as well as syrup, honey, sugar, jelly, and other sweets. Carpenter ants DO NOT eat wood. They remove wood as they create galleries and tunnels. Most foraging is done at night between sunset and midnight during spring and summer months. Sometimes workers travel up to 100 yards from a nest in search of food". "Baits If the nest cannot be located, baits may be an effective alternative. Baits work by combining an attractive food source with a slow-acting toxicant. A delayed toxicant is critical because it allows the ants to forage normally for days or even weeks. During that time, ants consume the bait and return to the nest to share the bait with the rest of the colony. In a process known as trophallaxis, one ant regurgitates its stomach contents to another ant. This food sharing behavior enables the bait to be spread throughout the colony before the toxicant takes effect. There are a few baits available to nonprofessionals for carpenter ant control. Most retail products are liquid or granular formulations containing hydramethylnon, sulfluramid, abamectin, or boric acid. An inexpensive liquid bait of 1% boric acid in a 10% sugar water solution can be mixed at home, but it is very slow acting and must be constantly replenished. Baits vary a great deal in their effectiveness. Carpenter ants have complex food preferences, and some of the sugar-based baits will not be attractive to the ants long enough to be successful. The keys to successful baiting are placement and monitoring; a bait cannot be effective if it is never encountered by ants. Place the bait only in areas where activity has been seen or is strongly suspected. After offering the bait, monitor it over 24 hours for feeding activity. Any bait that is ignored should be substituted with another, and any that is consumed should be replenished. Remember that increased ant activity around baits is a good sign. Never apply insecticides on or around baits because this will prevent feeding and render baits useless. Do not spray or dust other areas of the home, especially where carpenter ants are seen, as this can reduce the effectiveness of the bait. Be patient—baits can take weeks or months to achieve control. Professional pest control personnel are trained in baiting techniques and have access to a wider variety of products than consumers. They are more likely to achieve positive results. Contact a licensed pest control company if you prefer the expertise and experience of a professional".

07-27-2009, 11:20 AM	#2
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and The Taylor Community Posts: 3,301 Thanks: 1,222 Thanked 2,088 Times in 955 Posts	We saw a few early on but our usual treatment has eliminated them. We use a bait product called “Revenge”, a thick solution of sugar syrup and boric acid purchased at Agway. There are other similar products. Drops of the solution are placed on small squares which in turn are placed where you see the ants. The worker ants eat the bait (encourage them to eat-up) then take it back to the nest where it is fed to the queen and the larva, all of which will be killed. In about a week the ants will be gone.

07-27-2009, 12:34 PM	#5
DickR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 751 Thanks: 4 Thanked 259 Times in 171 Posts	You can google up all sorts of info on the boric acid/honey recipes, so you can mix your own up from commonly available stuff. Having ants come in is one thing, but you always wonder if they are nesting in the walls. Carpenter ants prefer wet wood to chew out for nesting space, so the remark about them appearing following the wet weather makes me wonder if you have a problem with water getting in somewhere. Common places would be around windows (typically not installed and flashed correctly) and at corner boards, where the housewrap or tarpaper wasn't wrapped around the corner before the corner boards and siding were installed.

07-27-2009, 02:33 PM	#9
hilltopper Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Meredith Posts: 727 Thanks: 25 Thanked 109 Times in 70 Posts	I was dumb enough to put some fire wood in my barn last fall. I started noticing the little piles of wood dust last week. I assume it's the fire wood and not the rain, but who knows. The problem is, judging from the wood dust locations, the ants are on the underside of the roof...about 40 feet up. Not sure what to do in this case except seek a professional's help (anyone know of an exterminator in the Meredith area?). The next problem is I have bats in the barn in the same general area and don't want to kill them. Lesson learned.

07-27-2009, 09:10 PM	#15
rick35 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bear Island/Merrimack Posts: 807 Thanks: 58 Thanked 203 Times in 130 Posts	We had a bad bout of carpenter ants this year. I first noticed a pile of sawdust around the back side of the camp where it doesn't get any sun. When I peeled back the siding I found that they had already tunneled into the 2x4's. I didn't have anything to hit them other than wasp spay but it killed them on contact. They poured out of the opening into a pool of black. Before I left to come home I fired off an ant bomb which did a pretty good job as we found a lot of dead ants when we returned the following weekend. I've since gone out a few times and sprayed around the foundation and so far we haven't seen any more ants.

07-28-2009, 08:47 AM	#18
BGB2 Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Exterminator Service While the ants may be more active when it is wet or in the summer, they never really go away. By coincidence, I have a Terminex service scheduled for this morning for carpenter ants. They charge $75 per visit for four quarterly visits. There was an initial visit that cost more. Unfortunately, I don't remember that charge. The ant problem occurred last year in our garage and an area of the house that was damp. I couldn't get rid of the ants myself as they had nested in the walls. I tried multiple kinds of insecticides. While I hate to spend money on something as boring as killing bugs, I know several people who had costly repair bills caused by carpenter ants and/or termites. Also, ants/termites are a real problem if you ever want to sell your property. Exterminators are very different when it comes to pricing and services. If you retain one, I recommend you shop around. Also, you can often get a break on their listed prices and services. If an exterminator is inflexible on price-service, you can tell them to bug off. Good luck.

07-28-2009, 08:06 PM	#19
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Well now. Good timing on this thread. I just started a new deck project on my house. The old deck was too small and we needed a screen room. So I proceeded to take down the old deck. I removed the ledger board, which was simply nailed to the siding. No flashing, no bolts, nothing to stop water penetration into the sill. The siding basically was mush. I could almost wring water out of it if I tried. So, anyway, this is what I found. I now have to cut back the siding and sheathing, cut out the band joist and replace the sill. Oh yah! Get someone out there to get rid of those little B--t-r-s......