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Carpenter Ants
 Carpenter Ants are often referred to as "black
ants" or "big
black ants" although some species are not black. Many people think of carpenter ants as
being large. In reality,
there are thirty possible sizes for carpenter ants. Larger ants indicate a more
mature colony: one that has been located in the same area for some time.
Call AAA Exterminators at (315) 469-7766 for
expert advice and solutions to Carpenter Ant problems.
Ant vs. Termite
An area of confusion is the winged ants.
Carpenter Ants, as well as other ants, have a segment of their population known as the
reproductive stage. Flying ant reproductives are often confused with winged termite
reproductives.
As a simple rule of thumb: if the body of the insect looks just like an ant with wings,
it's a flying ant, not a termite. Additionally, ant reproductives are
defined by having three distinct
body segments (head, thorax, abdomen), elbowed antennae and clear, pointed wings that are only
slightly longer than the insect's body. Termite reproductives have two
distinct body segments (head & thorax), straight antennae and
translucent, paddle shaped wings that are twice as long as the body of the
insect.
Inspection Clues
Carpenter Ants are very common in areas that have a high
water table. These ants frequently seek out high moisture areas in and around
structures. Though not always the case, when carpenter ants are found in a
structure, they are there because of a moisture problem somewhere inside or
adjacent to it.
Carpenter Ants usually nest either in damp wood or close to
it. They may also be found in hollow areas such as hollow doors and curtain
rods. Ants will nest in attics near clogged gutters or areas that have been subject
to water leaks.
Wood found to be infested with Carpenter Ants often
has been damaged by wood rot. Rot is caused by fungus, a living organism.
Wood rot destroys the structural sound of wood affected by moisture. These
ants compound the problem by chewing into that wood.
Ants living in the wood, smooth it out with
their chewing mouthparts and then
live within the galleries they create to take advantage of the high moisture
content that they favor. Unlike Termites, Carpenter Ants cannot
digest the cellulose in wood and thus cannot cause the same level of damage that
termites are capable of.
Conducive Factors
Some things to check when there is a Carpenter Ant
infestation include: leaks from the roof or gutters, improperly caulked windows and
doors (including patio doors), water entering around window air conditioner frames, steady or intermittent
plumbing leaks, leaking dishwashers, washing machines, improperly caulked bathtubs, showers, sinks
or improperly grouted tile showers. Other items to look at include firewood
in or near a structure, infested railroad ties or other decorative wood such as
mulch,
decks, overhanging tree limbs, etc..
Control
The talk of the day is
baiting. We offer a bait product that seems to be very attractive to Carpenter Ants. Advance Carpenter Ant Granular Baithas a distinct fish like odor that is very attractive to ants, but may be
objectionable to some people and can be attractive to pets. The
manufacturer favors an outdoor application of this product.
Carpenter Ants usually nest either in damp wood or close to
it. They may also be found in hollow areas such as hollow doors and curtain
rods. Ants will nest in attics near clogged gutters or areas that have been subject
to water leaks.
For best results, it should be applied in small piles
to encourage the ants to return for more. It's best to apply the product late in the afternoon
or early evening (when the ants are most active) to increase the likelihood that they will find and move all of the bait that's been placed on the ground to their nesting area. One needs to
spend a few minutes to find the areas where ants are actively foraging. Placing
the bait in these "highly trafficked" areas is important.
Advance Carpenter Ant Granular Bait can be used indoors, but it must be placed into cracks or crevices. Specially modified bulb dusters are available for this purpose, but alternately, you can direct the granules
through a paper funnel into these areas.
Since the dietary needs
of Carpenter Ants change, this product was thought to be most be effective late in the
Spring and into Summer.
However, in 2001, we found that the ants were accepting the bait much earlier in
the year. We can only suggest giving this product a try. We have had
many customers rave about this product.
Advance bait is not weatherize.
Therefore some planning in the timing of placements is necessary or the bait
will not be taken by the ants.
Anther bait that is available for Carpenter
Ants is Niban FG Fine Granular Ant Bait. This
product is a food based bait impregnated with 5% orthoboric acid. It too, is
low toxic and may be effective in some situations. This product is
weatherized and bait may used
indoors or outdoors. It is packaged in a handy, applicator pouch.
There are advantages to using baits,
but one must remain aware that though they are low in toxicity, they still need
to be applied with care.
Spray & Dust Applications
If baits are not appropriate for your situation,
we continue to recommended a perimeter treatment for Carpenter Ants. Customers
have purchased product from us year after year with continued success in minimizing ant
problems. (See Rockland
Indoor/Outdoor Insect Spray at our products page or you may click here.)
Our suggested treatment is as follows:
Apply a pin stream (jet) application to the outside of
the structure along the junction of the foundation and the building siding or shingle.
Also, treat all window frames and doorframes at ground level. Treat any deck
or other wood that contacts the structure along the contact areas. Treat any area
where utilities such as plumbing or air conditioning lines enter the structure at ground
level.
On the inside, treat
baseboards along exterior walls, window frames and door
frames, the sill plate downstairs (if it's accessible),
around bathroom and kitchen fixtures and where plumbing enters those rooms. Also treat around and
behind kitchen appliances paying special attention to the dishwasher area.
You may need to remove the
kickplate at the base of the dishwater in order to treat that area properly.
The concept is to set up an insecticidal barrier that
will kill ants from either side of the foundation. We have concluded that a
partial treatment is frequently NOT effective. It's also important to note
that applying a lot of spray is unnecessary: once you've wet the surface, it's treated.
Also, don't waste spray killing individual ants - if they contact the areas you've
treated, they will die - even if they don't die immediately. Finally, most of the
liquid sprays are residual and thus are effective for several weeks; it is really
not necessary to spray more frequently than once per month. We actually recommend
one treatment every three months (once each season) for good control.
Though we find the liquid sprays
work well, some people
prefer dust products. Dust products may be selectively applied into infested
areas. They may also be applied by drilling small holes into selected areas
to
provide access to an active area. Boric Acid dusts as well as Drione Dust
may be used this way. An aerosol containing boric acid dust , Borid
Turbo, may also be applied into wall voids.
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