Jen in NY Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 There have been (what looks like?) flying black ants my dampish basement for the last two days. A quick perusal on-line has me shaking in my boots... Have you ever successfully eradicated carpenter ants? How did you do it? Oh, and may I just say............. YUCK!!! Jen in NY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 How big were they? Even regular ants have a swarming phase. We had one around here last summer (that was fun :glare:). Seriously, the carpenter ants I've seen were shockingly big--like, nearly as long as my thumb! They're not all that big, but they're definitely bigger than regular ants. If, after your research, you really believe they're carpenter ants, most of the research I've read about them says to just start with an exterminator. I think the idea is that you want to contain the damage they can do as quickly as possible, and sometimes DIY treatment isn't as fast or complete as professional care would be. Here's a page I found, maybe you can take something from it? http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-carpenter-ants.htm Good luck. I have regular ants, and I hate them, but carpenter ants would indeed be worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 We've been able to keep them at bay for a few short periods, but *nothing* we've tried has actually eradicated them. We bought our house 3 years ago. Came to see it in very early spring (it was a completely empty vacation house). Didn't notice ants. Came again before putting in an offer. Saw ants. Sellers said they would call an exterminator. Came back before closing. Carpets covered in dead ants, still saw tons of live ones. Exterminator went back. I guess we were really in love with the house. We still bought it. Didn't notice ants when moving in. Since then, they've come back a million times. Tried herbs. Tried poisons. Tried vinegar. Actually, the vinegar probably worked the best, but it requires constant re-application. We've learned to live in relative peace with them, and we try not to think about what they're doing to our house. Obviously, we are not the smartest folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinmom Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Check your trees, please. If you have carpenter ants, they might be feasting on dead wood if your trees are sick. Unknowingly, we had carpenter ants doing just that, and this is the result: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2legomaniacs Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 We had them. We use a monthly pest control. Ours were nesting in the floors in an area of wet and wood damage in the house. Once dh ripped that out, redid it all, and was treated under the floors (while in construction by the pest control folks), we have not had any more issues with them. You have to eliminate the source of their feasting and nesting. We love our pest control people for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Definitely call an exterminator. They will eat away at your house inside the walls where you can't see them. When I was young, our neighbors were rearranging the bedroom. When they moved the bed to a new location, it's weight caved in the floor onto the dining room below. The studs, floor and everything was riddled with carpenter ants. Most carpenter ants I've seen have been much smaller than Melissel's but they seem to eat just as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristavws Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 We were actually attacked by them in the hot tub last week. They literally came out from under the deck and swarmed the hot tub! My dh called an exterminator, and my general understanding is that we may have to have several treatments over a period of time. Krista Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in NY Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 That just grosses me out! :tongue_smilie: It is also what has had me thinking about these ants every moment since we discovered the flying male ones in the basement.... WHERE IS THE NEST!!!???!?!?!?! Ick, ick, double ick. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in NY Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 They really aren't that big... we caught a couple and they look exactly like carpenter ants on the web... about 1/2 in long. We have never once seen an ant walking around in this house... just these male flying ones.... A mystery..... I am wondering if their nest is hidden in a wall somewhere. There are no trees on our property... well, just very small ones which are quite far from the house. I am really grossed out thinking about it! If we can't figure anything out today, I am calling an exterminator in the morning for sure!!!!!\ Jen in NY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 That just grosses me out! :tongue_smilie: It is also what has had me thinking about these ants every moment since we discovered the flying male ones in the basement.... WHERE IS THE NEST!!!???!?!?!?! Ick, ick, double ick. Jen Yeah, it is totally creepy. We had the flying ants in the house last year, but no nest in the house. They were just swarming in the backyard. This year I've found lots of them dead in the pool when I skim, but none in the house. It doesn't necessarily mean you have a nest in the house, but like I said, if it were me, I'd definitely call the exterminator to investigate. They know where to look and what to look for, and how to do it without ripping up your house. I really hope you find it. The first summer that we had a bad ant infestation in the house, I cried a lot. It was so awful to have them always there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brandal Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) Just a couple things to add - usually the primary colony is away from the house. If you can find that and kill it, it will go a long way towards keeping them from coming back. Secondly, carpenter ants are almost always looking for moisture or water. If you find carpenter ants in your house look for leaks, condensation and water-damaged wood. Many times you'll be looking to fix an ant problem and end up catching an early-stage water damage problem before it gets too bad. Hope that helps! Edited February 11, 2009 by Brandal trying to get avatar to show up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 It seems like a weird time of year for them, so I'm not sure, but I would consult with a reputable pest control company. I did have some in a front windowsill last summer. They were very easily eradicated and I did not allow spraying of the entire perimeter of my home, inside of my home, etc. Don't let a pest control company scare you to death and oversell you on product. They simply sprayed product into my windowsill area from outside, after drilling a few small holes that can't even be seen. They also sprayed a nearby tree that they felt they must be coming from. That was it - they were gone almost immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetsouthern Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 we had them at our last house and had to call in an exterminator, we couldnt get a handle on it our selves for very long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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