Q&A for How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are drawn to high humidity and moisture, so you might find them near leaks or areas that are chronically wet.

Boric acid is harmful to pets. Put the mixture in a covered container with small holes so that only ants can get in.

Yes, as does pepper (black, red, chili or cayenne), garlic, cinnamon or cloves.

They bite, and the bites can sometimes be very painful.

From what I've read elsewhere, they could be either in a sugar seeking or a protein seeking phase. Try peanut butter laced with boric acid. I set traps today with water bottle caps laced with peanut butter on one side, and a mix of maple syrup, confectioner sugar, water, and boric acid on the other. They've been devouring it all day, and there's at least 1%+ boric acid in the lot.

You don't, that is why it's important to follow up with routine maintenance. If you have not watched the video below yet, it has some suggestions.

You can purchase diatomaceous earth in any pool supply store or hardware store. You can also find food grade diatomaceous earth in health food stores; this is a safer option if you have children and pets around.

It depends on the pesticide used. The exterminators will tell you how long you need to stay out.

Any household supply store, like a Home Depot or Lowes, will have it in the pest control section.

Set out some bait and wait for them to take it. The ants will come out in force when they know there is something to eat.

Boric acid is probably more toxic to humans than many other registered pesticides. Take a look at the Merk Index for boric acid and you’ll find that human toxicity symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, circulatory collapse, tachycardia, cyanosis, delirium, convulsions, and coma. Death has occurred in extreme cases.

Carpenter ants in a beam could be causing serious structural damage that would be very expensive to repair. It would probably cost much less to hire a pest professional to inspect and treat the beam to eliminate the problem.

Usually, if you treat trees outside for ants, they will stay out of your home. Call an exterminator who has experience dealing with tree infestations.

Boric acid has no effect on carpenter ants. They do not eat solids. If dissolved in a sweet liquid, the solution must be less than 0.5% boric acid for the ants to eat it. At this strength it has no effect on carpenter ants.

Without continued preventative measures, they will always come back if there's shelter, food and water. What makes a house attractive to humans is also why pests find them a nice place to call home as well. It's pretty much a perpetual warfare.

The powder kills the larvae too. Remember this: 'whatever kills the grown-up kills the baby too'.

To get the ants out of your walls, lay bait down next to where you suspect the nest is to draw them out. Carpenter ants are just like regular ants, but they are about the same size as termites.

Don't kill the one that comes out. Instead, lay down something sugary like honeydew and watch it. When the ant comes, it will pick some of the sugary stuff up and carry it back to the nest. Follow where it leaves through and block that entrance so the ants cannot return.

You will only be able to kill the ants you see, while many more hide safely. If you use bug spray, they will sense they are under attack and will spread out in order to preserve the population. The queen ants will reproduce more rapidly if she senses the attack.

No they do not. They live in wood and bore holes. Look for fine wood dust or shavings.