How do I get rid of these big black ants? I cannot find out where they are coming from but as soon as the weather warmed up they were here in force. I've tried the traps and they seemed to work for a day but now i see them again. I also sprayed around the foundation and they are still here. I will spray along the foundation again and am willing to get more traps if i bought the wrong ones... this makes me neurotic! do i need to get a product specifically for carpenter ants? how do i locate where they are coming from?
http://www.terro.com/products.php?product=liquid_ant_killer this is the stuff we used.. they have a link on the page for carperter ants too....
the regular stuff worked for us... Only a few bucks for the bottle and it goes a LONG WAY!!!!!!
I did not know they had the other IF They come back I will get it maybe....
Good luck!!!
I had the same problem a couple of years ago and I ended up calling the exterminator because the ants were driving me nuts. I used Burgo Pest Control in Joliet and they were able to get out right away and were reasonably priced. Good luck.
Not sure this will work on carpenter ants, but I know it does with regular ants. Spread a little used coffee grounds along the doorway, window, and any openings they may be coming in.
Good luck.
Here are some ways to help get rid of ants. Hope this helps.
Linda
How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Ants-Naturally
How to Kill Ants Without Pesticides
http://www.wikihow.com/Kill-Ants-Without-Pesticides
How to Stop Ants Coming Into Your Home
http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Ants-Coming-Into-Your-Home
How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Carpenter-Ants
Call orkin!!! By the time we had orkin come out we had 3 huge nest we did not know about. There were over 100 ants in just one nest! They are like termites and they our eatting away at your house. We had a house down the street that was torn down because the damage done by the ants was so severe. There was nothing else they could do.
Someone else posted this question (asking for natural ways to get rid of ants) recently, so search for that post and responses if you want natural ideas. Personally, I don't have the time to do some of those and don't really want ooffee grounds and other things messing up my house. We've had ants each spring for three years now and some traps really do work (we've tried a few different kinds). I've read that Terro brand is good and we've also had some luck with one of the Raid ones.
Carpenter ants are terrible! What you need to do is find the nest. If they are truly carpenter ants the nest will be centered near wood. We had them once and they had gotten under our flooring. Luckily we were replacing a sliding door at the time and had to pull up part of the floor anyway. We caught them before they did too much damage and I just used a shop vac to get rid of the nest. It was so nasty. You might want to call in professionals for this one; they may have better luck finding the nest, though they will likely use some powerful sprays as well. Good luck!
This will sound strange but get some cinnamon - lots of cinnamon and sprinkle it around the base of your house on the outside. It won't harm the kids, or your pets, but ants will get to the cinnamon and turn around. Won't come over the "line". I didn't believe it but it actually works. You have to do it liberally - do not scimp - and go all around the base of your house, outside patio doors, etc. Yes, it will sink into the ground and be absorbed (doesn't hurt plants) and you will have to do it later in the season again also. I did it twice last year and didn't have any ants. Find those big bargain containers of cinnamon to save some money and go for it.
Hope it helps you.
R.
Your Thirty One Consultant
http://www.mythirtyone.com/yourbaglady
the second year that we lived in this house we started getting those carpenter ants. first we tried everything, trapps, spraying around the foundation so on. finally they were out of control, it was gross. i called around and ended up using chem wise, they were honest with all there answers. it is a pesticde that they use, but they use the least amount to get the job done, and inside they only would put gel in between cracks(floor board) so that my children or dog could not get to them. it worked, it took about 4 weeks before we completely did not have any ants.. they come 3 times a year $75 each time.
we have had to cancle our service because of money and my husband just sprayed the foundation, I really hope they don't come back because we can't afford the service right now!
good luck!
Hello. We had carpenter ants in our old house in Wisconsin. He had someone come out to spray for them. It was kind of a big deal since they eat wood, they can really damage your house. I don't think it was too expensive, but I think he sprayed a poisonous power into cracks. When the ants walk through the powder they take it back to their nest so it kills all of the ants. Maybe call and get estimates for someone to come out. Good luck.
A.
www.opportunityofyourlife.net
Carpenter ants are one of those infestations that you do not want to mess with. Over time, it is amazing how much damage they can, structurally, do to a home. We lived in a cedar, log home and we tried, unsuccessfully,for two years, to rid them from our home. It started out with a sporadic 20 or so, over the course of a month or two. Then... one year, BAM... it was out of control! As much as I didn't want to do it, we had to have professionals come out (I believe it was Orkin) and they had to bore small (in diameter) holes in strategic high places and shoot this gooey substance inside. Then they sprayed the very base of my foundation. The contract that you have with the professional should also include "yearly maintenance" and, many times, that can be passed along if you choose to ever sell. I can't remember all the details but there were several trips they made for the first year, to make sure they hit all the hot spots.
The baby, tiny red or black ants are a nuisance and will come and go, seasonally. Those can be controlled with different household items (i.e. vinegar, borax, bay leaves in cabinets, etc.....). Spraying along your foundation is good. However, once you have a "few" carpenter ants, expect that number to grow over the years. They are just as savage as termintes - not what you wanted to hear but you won't want to have to go through the trouble of doing costly repairs on your home, either. It doesn't matter if you have a frame or brick home - all homes, still, have lot's of wood.
Good luck.
