Introduction: How to get rid of Carpenter Ants
One of the most common wood destroying insects we deal with here in Massachusetts is the Carpenter Ant (Camponotus spp.)
While not as threatening to a structure as termites, carpenter ants can damage a property and are usually symptoms of a greater problem, such as excessive moisture in your building.
In this article we will cover how to identify carpenter ants, how to minimize conditions for them, and methods to treat for them.
Identification
Carpenter Ants are usually easy to identify compared to other home infesting ant species in the Northeast, due to their size alone.
Carpenter ants are 6- 13mm or 1/4- 1/2 inch long, almost twice the size of most other species around here.
There are multiple species of carpenter ants, so their color can vary from black to red, to a combination of both.
Probably the most common evidence of carpenter ants are piles of sawdust in your home.
Unlike termites, carpenter ants dont actually eat wood, but instead excavate it to create galleries to live in, the sawdust you see from them is the bits of wood they toss away to create room.
Carpenter Ants (Camponotus spp.)
Size: 6- 13mm/ 1/4- 1/2 inch, significantly larger than the other ant species.
Color: Black, red or a combination of the two.
Nesting Areas: Usually decaying wood, tree stumps, logs, and wall voids.
Diet: Honey dew from aphids on plants, other insects and occasionaly sweets and fats left from human food.
Unique Trait: Leaves a pile of sawdust near by their nest.
Removing Food And Water Sources
Food and water are important things to think about when dealing with any pest species, you can read up on the triangle of survival in our article about rodent control, but in short, you want to minimize food and water sources available to the ants as much as possible.
Food and water are integral to the colony health of the ants, more food and water leads to more fuel for colony growth and numbers.
Carpenter ants are omnivores, meaning they eat both animal and plant based foods.
They can eat almost anything we eat, so it is always important to clean up crumbs and food debris in your home, as well as ensure that you are frequently taking out your trash properly.
The most common food sources for carpenter ants, however, are honeydew from aphids on plants and other dead insects.
This can be tricky to prevent against, but my recommendation is to try to keep flowering plants as far away from your structure as you can to maximize the distance from a food source to a possible shelter as much as possible.
Reducing Ant Food Sources
Clean up spills and crumbs immediately.
Store food in airtight containers (including pet food).
Take out the trash regularly and use sealed garbage bins.
Clean greasy surfaces (like stovetops and counters).
Rinse out recyclables before disposal.
As far as water goes, make sure you have no leaks around pipes, run a dehumidifier in the basement, ensure gutters arent clogged and ensure downspouts are flowing water far from your structure.
Reducing Ant Water Sources
Fix leaky faucets and pipes.
Improve ventilation in damp areas (like basements and attics).
Use a dehumidifier in moisture-prone areas.
Clean and unclog gutters to prevent standing water.
Remove standing water from outdoor containers (birdbaths, plant saucers).
Removing Nest Sites And Sealing Gaps
Just like termites prefer water damage wood, carpenter ants also can chew through water damaged wood more efficiently, however while the termites are eating the wood, carpenter ants are just trying to make a home in it.
Look for signs of moisture in the wood as well as piles of sawdust tossed to the side by the carpenter ants.
Usual areas of concern for carpenter ants are around windowframes and doorframes, areas prone to water damage, and they usually have gaps around them big enough for the ants to enter in to the wall voids.
Seal up these gaps leading in if possible.
Dense foliage around your home can also be a concern, as it can provide cover for the ants and form as a bridge to your home, leading into crevices around windowframes and the roof line.
Always keep foliage cut back as far from the house as you can, two to six feet away if possible.
Nesting areas of concern on the outside would be piles of fire wood, or building debris and tree trunks.
Ensure these things aren't close to your house as they can become nesting areas for the ants before they begin to form satelite colonies in to your home, and if possible remove them from your property altogether.
Removing Nesting Sites
Replace water-damaged wood.
Seal cracks and crevices in walls, foundations, and around windows.
Trim trees and shrubs away from your house to reduce pathways for ants.
Remove wood debris and firewood stacks from around the house.
Baiting And Pesticide Applications
I highly recommend making sure you took the steps above first to minimize the conducive conditions for the carpenter ants.
Even after taking all the steps listed above, you may have carpenter ant colonies migrating into your area, especially if you live in a particularly wooded area.
Routine pesticide applications may be necessary and there are many different methods of applications with plenty of ways for things to go wrong.
Baiting for carpenter ants can be tricky, as they can be picky about the food sources they go after, especially if there is a rich variety of flowering plants in the area attracing aphids and other insects.
Usually granular baits in the early spring or in late fall are the best bet when it comes to baiting for carpenter ants.
When the carpenter ants are attracted to the bait, they will transport it back to the colony eventually killing the queen and the other ants in the colony.
Non-repellent perimeter pesticide applications are a good efficient way to handle a carpenter ant problem when you dont know where the nest may be or if you cant reach the nest due to it being inside a wall void or other inaccesible area.
Just like baits, the residual pesticide is picked up by the ant and carried back to the colony where it will eventually kill the queen and the other ants.
Unlike baits, residual pesticides do not have to attract the ants, the ants just have to crawl over it for it to be carried back to the colony.
Direct contact pesticides are fast acting, but leave no significant residual, making ideal if you know the precise location of the nest, but ineffective if you dont.
Baits
Most effective when ants are actively foraging for food.
Complete knock down of nest when bait is taken.
Can take time, and is reliant on ants consuming it.
Perimeter Pesticide application
Good coverage around structure when you are unsure of nest sites.
May take time for complete colony knockdown.
Dense foliage or obstructions can block areas to be sprayed and protect the ants from application.
Direct Contact Pesticide
Rapid knockdown of the colony.
Requires exact location and access to the nest.
Does not leave any residual for other colonies.
Summary
It is important to note that carpenter ants are not a one and done type problem.
Even if you take out a colony completely, if you still have conducive conditions on your property, a new colony can eventually come and infest the area.
As always, it’s important to rembember that pesticides alone won’t solve your problem.
Use pesticide applications in combination with the Integrated Pest Management steps listed above to get your best results.
Here at New Bedford Pest Control we use a variety of the application methods above and have years of hands on experience in getting rid of carpenter ants.
If you’re not able to handle your carpenter ant problem within a month or so, reach out to us for help.
Jon Amaral ACE, PHE
New Bedford Pest Control
113 Allen Street New Bedford, MA
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