lovemykids Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Please help me get rid of them. I don't want to use an exterminator. We have tried natural organic spray...it's not working. (By the way, I keep a very clean kitchen, which is where they are.) Has anyone heard of using Sweet'n Low? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Are you talking a serious invasion? I don't like using an exterminator either but for carpenter ants you really need to. They are eating your house (literally.) A few ant traps or some vinegar is not going to do it (never heard of using Sweet n Low.) And it has nothing to do with the cleanliness of the kitchen. When I was young, in a neighborhood with lots of old trees, the house next door had a major problem with carpenter ants. They had eaten away so much of the ceiling/ floor that when the neighbors moved the bed a few inches (to just the "wrong" spot,) the whole thing fell through the ceiling into the dining room. They are as bad as termites. The best you can do is find an exterminator who will be careful (not spray stuff randomly around the carpet, etc) and take the kids out of the house for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 We've had our house exterminated 3 times, by two different companies. And the ants just keep coming back. Wish I knew the answer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 We've had our house exterminated 3 times, by two different companies. And the ants just keep coming back. Wish I knew the answer! The answer is no trees or bark anywhere near the house. If they have a place to live near the house, they will keep coming in and will have to be re-exterminated regularly. To slow it down, keep all dead wood trimmed out of any trees or bushes near (25 ft) the house and don't use bark as a mulch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golfcartmama Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Not sure where you are but we use Northwest Pest Control and they have a 'green' program, which we use. We have Argentine ants....they come by the millions and it's taken a while but we now have it under control (though NOT eliminated). We did do a blanket spray outside (done by them) twice that was not green, and it worked WONDERS. Call someone, those carpenter ants will eat away your house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick_Mom Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 There is a special kind of ant trap (aka 'ant bait') made just for carpenter ants, or so I've heard. It's different from the regular ant traps. I've heard varying reports about how well it works -- it might be worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemykids Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Thanks everyone. No, not a true invasion, it’s just a minor annoyance at this point. I didn’t like opening my cabinet to find a group of ants on our agave syrup this morning. The organic spray seems to have helped a little. Maybe I wait and see if it gets worse. It sounds like we might have to call someone. Hmm, that green program sounds interesting. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Have you checked for termites? A friend had terrible carpenter ant problem and the exterminator said she had termites. Apparently the carpenter ants like to eat termite eggs and are attracted to homes with termite problems. He also said to get rid of all the bark mulch around the trees and around the house. After the sun have a chance to reach the ground and dry out the area, he came back and sprayed again. Hope you find a good solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemykids Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 I’ll have to ask my husband to check it out (the termite possibility). It’s great to get other ideas. Life is so busy that it makes it impossible to always think of every option. I know that carpenter ants can eat the house... but I was just looking at it as a minor problem. Huh! I also didn’t think of the green professional pest control option. I was just about to buy more mulch; maybe I’ll put that on hold. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 *Terro Bait*...It works overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 From what I've read, carpenter ants are attracted to moist wood which is easy for them to carve. Some people have told me that if I get rid of the moisture problem and rotten wood, they will eventually, hopefully(!) look elsewhere. Btw, you could have a huge colony nearby that is creating satellite colonies. Carpenter ants are travelers. They are also evening/night feeders, I believe. Are you seeing any of the winged ones? They tend to come out in swarms. Blech. Good luck. We have them, too. I am pretty sure the source is a rotten garage next to our house. That's coming down as soon as we get our permits in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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