Help!! I have Capenter Ants. Advice Needed.

[chrisjor]

It started aboout a month ago.........

I would occasionally see a huge black ant roaming around the house. I have never seen more than 3 in one day. Knowing that Ants follow scent trails we scrubbed the kitchen floor with bleach water and they disappeared for a while. After a couple of weeks I saw one in the bathroom. Scrubbed it with bleach water. I thought nothing of this as we had a tremendous amount of rain in the spring, just drove them indoors.

I was in the basement and started boxing up some old clothes for a charity and noticed pile of "sawdust" on the laundry table. After checking it closely I noticed bug parts and dead ants in it. I discovered this is what is called "frass". Well, I have had termites before so I thought they were back. Researched subject and realized that termites eat wood, not burrow through it. I am 99% certain these are Carpenter Ants and they are burrowing through floor joists where cinder block foundation meets wood flooring and joists.

Questions:

Call pro or do it yourself..........I have not located nest so I am not capable of a quick kill solution.

How much for a pro?

Should I try Advance/Maxforce bait solution. Other options?

Thanks for any info.

 

[WhiteWonder]

i'd get a pro to kill them, after all, they are jesus's favorite kind of ants

 

[chrisjor]

yes...the Carpenter comparison has already been joked about here also....

 

[loup garou]

There are three things you can use to help take care of carpenter ants: Diatomaceous earth, honey, and boric acid. Look around your house for any holes with sawdust around them (ant holes). Make a small funnel out of a piece of paper and blow some diatomaceous earth into the hole. It acts as a dessicant, and dries the little buggers out until they die. You can get diatomaceous earth at Walmart in the pool section or at any pool supply store. Also, mix 1 teaspoon of boric acid with 5 oz of honey and apply the some of the mixture to pieces of paper and put them wherever wherever you saw the ants walking. You can get boric acid in the pest control section of some grocery/drugstores, or from do-it-yourself pest control stores, or chemical supply stores. I'd imagine you can find some honey on your own.

 

[308nato]

Originally posted by: werk
There are three things you can use to help take care of carpenter ants: Diatomaceous earth, honey, and boric acid. Look around your house for any holes with sawdust around them (ant holes). Make a small funnel out of a piece of paper and blow some diatomaceous earth into the hole. It acts as a dessicant, and dries the little buggers out until they die. You can get diatomaceous earth at Walmart in the pool section or at any pool supply store. Also, mix 1 teaspoon of boric acid with 5 oz of honey and apply the some of the mixture to pieces of paper and put them wherever wherever you saw the ants walking. You can get boric acid in the pest control section of some grocery/drugstores, or from do-it-yourself pest control stores, or chemical supply stores. I'd imagine you can find some honey on your own.

Thanks Werk!! You have officialy learned me something useful. I know what to do with critters outside but not inside. I usually just listen for the screams and then grab a shoe.

 

[rgwalt]

You could try the gecko solution... get a few house geckos and let them go in your basement.

A pro might do a better job though. Good luck in any case.

Ryan

 

[brtspears2]

I second the borax .


But, anyone still try to burn ants?

 

[p0ntif]

I'd get a pro. Here's what terro has to Say

 

[xirtam]

Other options

Why exterminate them completely? Sometimes it's nice to come home to a house with a few ants around the place. Good stress reliever.

<SMACK!>

Ahhhhh... well, it's better than taking out your aggression on it's "correct" target.

 

[wfbberzerker]

how about one of these?

 

[chrisjor]

I already tried an Echidna....I kept stepping on it and d@mn that hurts!!!

Seriously, thanks for the suggestions. Particulary Werk...your idea I have read about on the web, it just seems like a ton of work...er...werk!

 

[yakko]

Originally posted by: chrisjor
Other options?

Have them build the new addition to your house.

 

[jjones]

Just get them a little workshop and you'll be okay. They'll spend the day making ashtrays and frames for your photos. Beware of the one called Jesus though, he's a trouble maker.