Size: Up to 5/8-inch long.   Color: Varies from black, brown and black, red and black, to light brown depending on the species.  The two most common pest species are black in color.

Habitat and Behavior

Habitat Carpenter ants are the most common pest ant seen in homes throughout the northern United States. The main colony must have a constant source of moisture to survive, so it is usually located in dead wood outside. This includes dead limbs, tree holes, stumps, landscape timbers, and so forth. 

Indoors, a main colony will have to be associated with a water leak or an overly wet, poorly ventilated crawl space or attic.  The main colony may establish satellite colonies that are the primary source of ant activity inside homes.  These satellite colonies may be located in any suitable void (e.g., hollow doors, curtain rods, shower rods), under attic insulation, etc.  These ants set up trunk trails between the main colony to satellite colonies and between satellite colonies. Foraging ants can most easily be seen along these trunk trails at night when the ants are most active.  Sometimes, the trunk trails occur beneath the ground following tree roots.

Carpenter ants feed on a wide variety of foods, especially other insects. The favored food of adults is the sweet honeydew produced by plant-feeding insects, such as aphids, scales, and mealybugs.

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Control

If you know with some certainty where the colony is living inside wood, then you can either treat them directly, or bait them.  Oftentimes, baiting with Advanced Carpenter Ant Bait Granular or Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait Gel will take care of the problem for you. 

Carpenter Ants taking to the Advance Carpenter Ant Bait- Click to Enlarge

The Maxforce Indoor/Outdoor Insect Bait Recipe Is A Complete Meal - Simply Irresistible Year-Round. * Only Maxforce Insect Baits offer a special combination of sugars, proteins (including silkworm pupae), carbohydrates, fats, and oils which accommodate insects changing tastes and nutritional needs. * Year-round effectiveness against crickets, large roaches and many species of ants such as Carpenter, Argentine, Pavement,  Acrobat, Big Headed, and Harvester. Maxforce Granular Insect Bait is available 6 pound bulk containers that can be used for large jobs or to refill the service containers. Containers have convenient shaker top for easy application.

Use the B&G Bulb Duster to assist in your granular or dust application

One of our best sellers here at Pest Control Supplies is our Carpenter Ant Bait Kit.  This kit has both the Advance and Maxforce together.  For your kit, Click Here.  

The same thing holds with colonies living in wall voids.  If you know with some certainty where they are, then you can treat them directly by drilling a small hole into the wall void at the base of the void (directly above the baseboard) and injecting a dust such as Delta Dust, Drione, or Borid Turbo. 

Or, use one of the ant baits, such as Advanced Carpenter Ant Bait Granular or Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait Gel.  For a Carpenter Ant Bait Kit, that has both the Advance and Maxforce together, Click Here.

One particular product that we are having tremendous success with is Termidor SC.  In the few short years it's been around, Termidor has been proven to be the most effective and fastest at completely eliminating problem ant populations. It is really changing the way pest management professionals are approaching ant control. Chances are that the ants in your house actually have their nest outside- they travel back and forth for food and water. So, since they live outside, it makes sense to control them there. Termidor Ant Control is applied to the exterior foundation walls of your house, creating a treated area of protection. In the past several years, the professional pest control industry has been revolutionized by new control technologies, especially in the area of non-repellents or 'undetectable' liquid treatments. Unlike older insecticides, un-detectables can't be smelled, tasted, or even felt by pests. So they crawl through the treated area, not knowing that by ingesting treated materials or merely contacting the insecticide, they'll die. Termidor is unique because ants not directly exposed to the Termidor-treated area will be controlled as they come into contact with affected ants. This 'Transfer Effect' means you'll see its effects on ants in one to three days, and most species will be controlled within the first week following the treatment. Sold in a convenient 20 oz. container. A .06% solution will yield 24 finish gallons of Termidor mixture.  A little more expensive, but totally worth it.  To order your Termidor, Click Here!

Colonies living inside the eaves or soffits can be treated by drilling a small hole into area where the ants are nesting and injecting a dust such as Delta Dust, Drione, or Borid Turbo.

Colonies living outdoors can be located and treated directly with a residual insecticide such as Tempo, Demand, or Suspend, or Termidor SC.

 The use of indoor bait stations such as the ANT CAFE'S will preserve and protect baits. 

Regular inspections and service are necessary to find and treat new colonies as they move in from neighboring properties. These perimeter treatments can keep your home or business pest free. We suggest a regular treatment on the exterior with Demand, Tempo, or Suspend.

These tips will help prevent a carpenter ant infestation:

• Seal cracks and holes in the exterior of the home to prevent ants and other pests from entering.
• Keep vegetation cut away from the foundation of the home.
• Avoid using items such as stones and landscape timbers next to the home's foundation. Pavement ants nesting under these items are likely to infest the home.
• Keep layers of mulch in landscape beds less than 2 inches thick and at least 12 inches away from the foundation.

View All Of Our Ant Control Products Here

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