| 4/22/2008 3:51:50 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
curious70000
Wyandotte, MI
age: 46
| the big buggers are making quite a time with a wooden fence that is only 4 ft. from my house, and back door, i realize this is their big grab the wood and go season, i've never had a problem with them before in the house, and the fence has been there for years, i only noticed them becaue i recently got a dog, had the floodlight on while the dog was outside, and noticed a shit load of them trailing back and forth on one of the support beams? NOW does anybody know a safe way to rid them that is pet safe, i've got a dog, and the neighbors have two dogs, that happen to nose each other and run that fence?
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| 4/22/2008 3:54:25 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
daddyofcc
Tienen
Belgium
age: 59
| If they have a carpenters union card you may have a problem
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| 4/22/2008 3:55:23 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
mitchell1221
Chattanooga, TN
age: 45
| Is it a picket fence? 
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| 4/22/2008 3:56:08 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
seatraveler99
Avinger, TX
age: 42
|  The carpenter ants are a nuisance,but not as bad as the welder ants due to the sparks they throw.Then there's fireflies.......
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| 4/22/2008 3:57:42 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
seatraveler99
Avinger, TX
age: 42
| Seriously,Lowe's probably has what you need,just tell them the situation.
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| 4/22/2008 3:58:04 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
daddyofcc
Tienen
Belgium
age: 59
| and glow worms
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| 4/22/2008 3:58:28 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
mitchell1221
Chattanooga, TN
age: 45
| An important method for preventing carpenter ant problems indoors is to eliminate high moisture conditions that are attractive to them. Also, replace any moisture-damaged wood. Be careful that wood or lumber that is stored in a garage or near the house is kept dry and, if possible, elevated to allow air circulation.
Store firewood as far away from buildings as possible. Remove tree and shrub stumps and roots. Trim branches that overhang the home. Note: Be sure the tree or shrub species can be pruned at the time you wish; e.g., do not prune oak between April 15 and September 15 because of the risk of oak wilt. Also, prune branches that touch electrical lines or other wires that are connected to the house; carpenter ants can travel from branches to lines and use them like a highway to buildings.
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| 4/22/2008 3:59:40 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
daddyofcc
Tienen
Belgium
age: 59
| joking aside
Destruction of the parent nest is perhaps the best way to control carpenter ants. If the parent nest can be located, it can then be treated with dust or liquid residual insecticides. This eliminates the queen, preventing further reproduction without which the colony cannot long endure. Finding the parent nest is thus the critical step in ridding a structure of carpenter ants. Eliminating indoor satellite nests may afford a degree of control, but the ants from the parent nest outside the structure may reinfest later.
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| 4/22/2008 3:59:49 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
mitchell1221
Chattanooga, TN
age: 45
| In order to eliminate carpenter ants nesting indoors, you need to locate and destroy their nest.
The nest may be located by careful and patient observations of worker ants, especially between sunset and midnight during spring and summer months when carpenter ants are most active. To follow carpenter ants without startling them, use a flashlight with a red film over the lens—ants cannot see red light. You can increase your chances of following workers to their nest by setting out food that is attractive to carpenter ants. Place food in areas where you find workers.
Many foods are attractive to carpenter ants, including honey or other sweet foods. During spring, carpenter ants are particularly attracted to protein sources, such as tuna packed in water. (Carpenter ants are not attracted to tuna packed in oil.) Set out small pieces of tuna for the ants to take back to their nest. It is easier to follow the ants when they are carrying food. With patience and perseverance, you can follow the ants back to their nest.
Other signs that indicate an active nest is nearby include small piles of coarse sawdust or wood shavings, consistent indoor sightings of large numbers of worker ants, i.e. 20 or more, and large numbers of winged ants indoors. Carpenter ants typically swarm from late winter through spring.
Also pay attention to areas where steady moisture is or has been a problem; firewood stored in an attached garage, next to the foundation, along an outside wall, or in a basement; areas around the plumbing or vent entrances; and trees with branches overhanging the house. These are possible sources of carpenter ant nests.
Sound detection may be helpful in locating a nest. An active colony may make a dry, rustling sound that becomes louder if the colony is disturbed. This sound, thought to be a form of communication, is made with the mandibles (jaws) and is not related to wood chewing. When trying to detect carpenter ants, tap the suspected area and then press an ear to the surface in order to hear any sound.
If one nest is found, watch for evidence of additional nests. More than one nest may be present in a structure.
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| 4/22/2008 4:09:35 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
twohawks
Bothell, WA
age: 69 online now!
| If you can find the nest...sprinkle boric acid on and around it. Boric acid is not harmful to humans, or pets, but it will kill the ants.
[Edited 4/22/2008 4:12:22 PM]
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| 4/22/2008 4:10:45 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
curious70000
Wyandotte, MI
age: 46
| LOL@You guys, thanks they are only outside, was just wondering if anyone thought them being so close 4 ft from the house, and with plenty of wood outside, if i should worry about them getting in the house, i'm afraid of putting any insecticides down because of the dogs. So if they have enough going on on that fence, my house is pretty safe is what i'm hoping?
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| 4/22/2008 4:13:10 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
daddyofcc
Tienen
Belgium
age: 59
| you could also paint your fence with creosote
burns the little bastards feet which they don't seem to like
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| 4/22/2008 4:14:31 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
curious70000
Wyandotte, MI
age: 46
| Boric Acid hhhhhmmm? i'm pretty sure i've found the nest, there's a weird kind of little dirt formations in this one area that seemed to by the busy section of the fence the night i noticed them.... and it's right in the spot the neighbor dogs and mine nose each other through the fence too,,,, boric acid, lol,,,,just sounds scarry? but thanks Twohawks, do you know how deep a nest might be,,,like maybe i could dig the buggers out?
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| 4/22/2008 4:14:56 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
mitchell1221
Chattanooga, TN
age: 45
| they`ll only start working with their shoes on from then on. 
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| 4/22/2008 4:15:44 PM | Carpenter Ants should i be worried | |
curious70000
Wyandotte, MI
age: 46
| LOL@Daddy,, i can see the dancing ants now, lol.... burns their little feet, lol,,,don't know why just made me chuckle?
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