carpenter ants ?

602 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by gobug, Aug 20, 2004

foxies

Discussion Starter · Aug 19, 2004

I have just learned that I have carpenter ants.What should I use to kill them?
Thanks for your help.
Ann

1 - 6 of 6 Posts

check the archives, there are many detailed answers to your question.

The absolute most effective way to kill ants is to use a bait. It is the least toxic and the most effective. I am an exterminator and have tried many products on ants. If you can find a bait they will take, unless the active ingredient is too concentrated, it will kill the colony.

The problem with carpenter ants is they are picky eaters and it is difficult to find something they will take. You may be able to find Tero. I have heard on this group that they will take it. The products I use are not on the consumer market.

If you can follow the ants home to their main colony, you can bust it open and spray the whole clan. This could be effective if you find the colony. They don't bite or swarm to you like fire ants when you disturb the nest.

Good luck

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countrygrrrl

· #3 · Aug 19, 2004

Some months ago, I found some damage which I assumed was termite damage. The damage was in some very old posts in some very old sheds.

Then, a couple of months ago, I found carpenter ants in a huge, old, gorgeous oak tree. A mess of them and I'm pretty sure, their main colony.

I sprayed with malathion --- no effect --- and put down some fire ant stuff --- no real effect. But I finally got hacked off and poured bleach, then vinegar down the middle of the tree. No more ants.

True, the survivors likely moved the colony. But I've found no evidence they moved it further into my property.

:yeeha:

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fordy

· #4 · Aug 19, 2004

foxies said:
I have just learned that I have carpenter ants.What should I use to kill them?
Thanks for your help.
Ann

....................................try here...www.terro.com
........This is a clear liquid , very sweet , with borax . You simply put several drops on small pieces of cardboard (2" x 2") and place next to the established route(s) of the ants . It does work . Took me about 2 weeks before they disappeared . They transport the liquid to the Queen and she dies. Cheapest and most effective remedy i've found.........fordy....

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mightybooboo

· #5 · Aug 19, 2004

fordy said:
....................................try here...www.terro.com
........This is a clear liquid , very sweet , with borax . You simply put several drops on small pieces of cardboard (2" x 2") and place next to the established route(s) of the ants . It does work . Took me about 2 weeks before they disappeared . They transport the liquid to the Queen and she dies. Cheapest and most effective remedy i've found.........fordy....

You know,terro never did work for me.Bummer eh?Glad you got a positve result.I had a recipe i got off the web for making a borax powder bait,might try to google for it.
BooBoo

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gobug

· #6 · Aug 20, 2004

The thing about ants is they change their appitite depending on what the colony needs. This can occur in a day and again the next. Thats why I carry 5 different ant baits in the truck. I usually have a feel for what a particular ant is taking, but I always put down just a tiny bit to see if they want it. Acceptance is almost always immediate. If they take the bait, they will get enough to kill the whole colony in less than 20 minutes. If they don't take the little bit, I try something else. Carpenter ants are the most picky I have seen. If you find something in your pantry they like, you can easily make your own bait. The trick is to keep the boric acid dilute - like 1 to 5%. This is just a little tricky if you don't have a scale. Last time I made some, a tenant customer told me his pharaoh ants were crazy about canned salmon. I sqeezed 6 ounces of the juice from a couple cans and added about 1/4 tsp of boric acid. I only needed about one ounce of bait for 16 apartments, but I made six because I couldn't measure 1/24 tsp.

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