It’s a tale from the 2000’s. After moving into a rented house, I quickly noticed signs of carpenter ants in the house. I was under the impression that there were only a few ants at home.
So, I simply sprayed water over them thinking that it would make them go away.
But, I was wrong and as days passed, the issue kept on getting worse. Finding ants everywhere in house made me really upset and angry. So, I finally started searching on how to kill carpenter ants in house.
Ant infestation can be seen in several homes throughout the country. These small black colored ants nest in the woods. The chances of these creepy crawlies infesting your house are very high.
Adult and baby ants hollow out wooden pieces and travel through it. They usually like to live in dead and damp woods and easily infest the wooden furniture in your home.
Just like any other household pest, any species of large ants in house can drive you crazy. Finding a column of black carpenter ants at your home can be worrying. However, do not be afraid. This is because we have several natural ways that will help you get rid of these bugs.
What To Know About Carpenter Ant Infestation
Check and be sure that you have an out of control ant situation at your home. Accurately identifying the variety of ant infesting your home is important if you want to completely get rid of them.
If you fail to identify the right pests, you will end up spending money on pesticides that won’t work. So, look specifically for signs of carpenter ant infestation at your home. Here is how you can easily identify them. You do not even have to worry about when do ants come out or anything else when trying this remedy.
The ants do not really eat through wooden surfaces and wood furniture. They hollow out the wood section and use it as a nest. Black carpenter ants chew out the passageways of the wood. This creates small grooves in the wood section called galleries.
If left unattended, ants can cause serious problems. Over time they can cause severe damage to the wood sections at your home.
How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants?
Are you wondering how to get rid of ants in drain? Are you certain that there are signs of ant infestation at your home?
If so, you should look for ways to kill these brown or black ants and stop the infestation. In most cases, pesticides will help you get rid of termites and ants alike. But, it is best to buy a carpenter ant killer pesticide to eliminate them.
Use A Carpenter Ant Bait
Wondering how to easily get rid of black big ants? Different types of carpenter ant traps and baits can be found in the market. These baits are specifically manufactured to help homeowners kill this variety. The baits target moving ants along the trails and make it ideal for exterminating ant colonies outdoors.
Carpenter ants building nests outdoors will unknowingly pick up the bait and carry back the bait to the nest. This will poison the entire colony and prevent your home from infestation. It is important to find bait designed specifically for these ants. This is to make sure that no other pests will take the bait.
The ant bait must also be resistant to external elements. If not, the tiny critters may not even get to these baits. Keeping the bait near to repellent is a bad idea. Repellents will drive ants away from the bait, which makes them entirely useless. So, place the bait away from repellents. This method is ideal when exterminating outside your house.
Carpenter Ant Insecticides
Honestly, using baits wasn’t really working for me. It was maybe because the ant problem was quite serious. This is when I turned to specialised ant insecticides for help. If baits aren’t doing the trick for you, consider using a strong insecticide. They are very effective and affordable.
Spraying insecticide all over the floor or wooden furniture is not a good idea. You need to identify the source of the infestation and use it right there. You can easily find excellent pesticides in the market.
Locate the source of the infestation and apply the insecticide there to remove ants. You could also use a carpenter ant repellent in times of emergency. You can also find powder for carpenter ants in most stores.
Remove Carpenter Ants From The Inside Of Your Home
If the ant are indoors like in the kitchen, things can get quite complicated. Identifying the source of infestation can be hard in such cases. However, do not worry, I know how to help you. Check throughout your home and identify the spots where wall voids or indoor nests are located.
Drill small holes of 2 to 6 feet on both sides of the indoor nests. These are the holes through which ants are entering the wall. Use foam treatment, aerosol, or insecticide on the holes and other openings.
Avoid using liquid insecticide on indoor nests. Also, keep children away from the indoor nests and insecticides when you are working. Killing carpenter ants in walls is also easy when using this method.
Getting Rid Of Carpenter Ants Naturally
Spraying insecticides, using ant baits, and applying dust treatments is sure to help you get rid of ants. However, some of these methods may appear a bit risky to some homeowners. This is particularly true if you have little kids running around the house. So, your best bet is to opt for natural or home remedies for carpenter ants.
Do not worry because natural remedies are also capable of eliminating these ants. If you are someone who prefers not to use pesticides or other chemicals, try these natural remedies. These natural methods are safe, simple, and incredibly effective.
Prepare A DIY Bait
Creating a DIY food bait is a simple but effective way to kill all species of ants. Find boric acid and add it to sugar water. Add the mixture of sugar water and boric acid to the food item you will be using as the bait. Place it along the trails or spots where you think they are present.
The sugar water that is present in the mixture will lure them into the bait. The boric acid in the bait will wipe out the ant nest. This process can take a fair amount of time so remain patient. In fact, you may probably need to repeat the process for better results.
Use Boric Acid
Several homeowners often ask – does boric acid work on carpenter ants?
Yes, it does.
When I used food bait, I realized that it’s taking a huge amount of time. I was impatient and I decided to use this natural remedy. Simply spray boric acid into the ant colony.
You can also spray the acid on paths where the ants usually travel. This will poison the carpenter ants and helps to get rid of them by easily killing them.
Be careful when you are using boric acid to get rid of pests. Try not to use the ant spray the acid near electric wires or circuits at home. This may lead to electrical related issues at home. Boric acid is of great help to remove insects.
Use DE (Diatomaceous Earth)
Another simple and effective way through which you can get rid of these pesky ants is by using diatomite or DE. You may not know what diatomite really is. It is a soft sedimentary rock, which actually comes from the remains of plants like algae. Insects are not able to properly digest it. DE is completely safe for pets and children, so you don’t need to worry about any accidents.
Make sure to use hand dusters or medicine droppers while spraying the DE into the nest. The DE will work its magic and eradicate the carpenter ants from your home. You may need to repeat the same process multiple times to completely remove the ants.
How To Prevent Carpenter Ant Infestation?
It is always best to avoid the chances of carpenter ant infestation. You can easily prevent the entry of these ants to your home. Here are a few simple tips that will keep them far away from your house.
Proper home maintenance can greatly help you to steer away from ant problems at home. If you are afraid of an infestation at home, you need to take the necessary steps. For starters, make sure there aren’t any leaks, pumping issues, or excess moisture at home. Always remember that moist and damp environments are more likely to draw in these bugs.
Another way to keep these ants out of your home is to properly insulate your house. Check if there are any openings or cracks in the foundation of your house.
Also, make sure to thoroughly check around windows, wires, and utility pipes in your home. Properly insulating is a simple but effective way to prevent the entry of all types of insects to your home.
Sometimes you can see that ants are coming from outside trees. Some homes have foliage or trees in the backyard or outside. Check if the branches of the tree are touching your house.
If so, this provides ants easy access to your house. Carpenter ants can be seen building nests on tree trunks. Trim the tree branches that are touching outside walls.
If you bring firewood from outside to your home, check the wood for signs of ant infestation. Many species of ants are drawn to nesting in firewood. So, you should be very careful when you bring firewood into your home.
You could also invest in perimeter control pesticides. This was the last thing I did to ensure that my home is free of ant infestation. I haven’t encountered any issues once I thoroughly followed the above-mentioned remedies.
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