![]() ![]() If this is the case, you may need to lure them out with some sweet bait, like diluted honey or sugar milk.Ĭarpenter ants are nocturnal, so set the bait out at night and then wait. However, even if you have an ant problem, you might not always see actual ants out and about. You may even need to follow them outside if they’ve nested in tree stumps or dead trees. You may need to be patient and follow them back to baseboards, cabinets, doors, or other wooden structures. As these ants walk, they lay down scent trails that allow other ants to follow them to and from food sources. Finding the NestĪs soon as you see carpenter ants in your home, follow them. The first step is to locate the nest so that you can destroy the colony. They have straight antennae (no “elbow”), only have two body segments, and their midsections are thicker.ĭIY Home Methods to Get Rid of Carpenter Antsīecause these insects live in hidden nests, it’s important that you don’t immediately start killing the first carpenter ants you see inside your home. Termites, on the other hand, have veiny wings, all four of which are the same size. If these ants have wings, there are few veins, and the front pair of wings are longer than the rear pair. Carpenter ants have a narrow “waist,” or middle body segment (thorax), and their antennae have an angle to them, like an elbow. However, you can easily tell these two pests apart with the naked eye. and February through June in the west.īecause carpenter ants build nests in wood, winged carpenter ants are sometimes confused with termites. These wings assist the ants in swarming to find a new location for a colony, which happens in the spring-May through August in the eastern U.S. They’re usually black or reddish, and some may have wings. However, the most common carpenter ants in North America are very large, from one-quarter inch all the way up to five-eighths of an inch in length. However, if an ant has simply flown indoors during the summer months, a spray labeled for the insect kill these occasional invaders.There are multiple carpenter ant species, and they vary by color and size. These will not be effective against foraging ants, as the spray will kill only those workers out foraging for food, it will not affect the larger colony. Not only is it illegal to use an insecticide on an unlabeled pest, it is unlikely that a bait not labeled for carpenter ants will be attractive to or effective against them. Use only products labeled for carpenter ants. The foraging ants will pick up the bait and carry it back to the colony and queen, eventually eliminating the entire colony. #Winged carpenter ants fullBaits will take longer for full control, but they can be easier and safer to use, and the most effective. This won't necessarily get rid of the ants, but it can keep them from coming into your home. The application should be made in the spring and fall following all label directions. If there are nests outdoors and the ants are coming in, a perimeter treatment – the application of a granular or liquid insecticide to an area about 2- to 4-feet wide all around the perimeter of the home with a product labeled for control of carpenter ants – can provide some control. Small holes may need to be drilled if the area can't be accessed another way. A dust that is labeled for carpenters ants and for indoor household use can be injected into the area(s) where the ants are nesting. ![]() If the carpenter ants are nesting indoors, an insecticide dust can be the best option.
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