Carpenter Ants

Most species of ants live outdoors. But, you will find certain species will come into your home.

Carpenter ants are the most common and can be very annoying. Since they reproduce quickly your home may soon become infested by them. They are mainly black in color and seem to be very tolerant of ant traps and poisons that people put out to kill them.

Some of various species have wings on them as well so they can be misidentified as other types of insects. They are often mistaken for termites because the can be found in the wood of your home. They also like moist areas so they tend to be in the kitchen and the bathrooms.

In order to get rid of carpenter ants, you will need to find out where their nests are. With hundreds of eggs being laid each day by the queen ants, you don’t want to wait to get started. You may want to try to get rid of them on your own. You can leave out food for the ants and then follow their trail back to the colony. Dabs of honey that are left out will definitely attract their attention.

Boric acid is one of the most effective ways to kill them. Track them back to the wood, walls, and other places in your home that they are located at. There may be several colonies around so don’t stop your efforts when you come across one of them. If you are having a hard time locating the carpenter ants or your efforts with boric acid failed you will need to call a professional exterminator.

You can help prevent carpenter ants from getting into your home by taking care of leaks right away. Remove dead wood from your yard too as this can be where the carpenter ants start out.

Don’t store wood for the fireplace too close to your home. It may be more convenient but you don’t want to be dealing with carpenter ants. They can move from there into your home in very little time. They often do this through cracks or where wires run into your home. Seal these areas up as much as you can.