Carpenter Ants

Overview

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Facts

• Carpenter ants are the largest ant in Minnesota.
• They do not eat wood but they will create extensive tunnel systems or galleries into the wood where they will form a nest for the colony.
• They are attracted to the home by the presence of "weakened wood" usually as a result or water damage in the past
• These ants are polymorphic which means that the ants can be of various sizes in the same colony.
• They do not live in the soil but they can infest buried wood such as stumps or tree roots.
• The colony consists of a main (or primary nest) which is usually in a tree, stump, or other wooden material such as retaining walls, decks, or other wooden structures which are very wet.
• Mature colonies produce "satellite nests" where a portion of the colony lives. These nests can be up to 300 feet from the main colony. Ants from these satellite nests are what the homeowner will see inside their home.
• The colony queen ant stays in the main nest but often the reproductive stage (ants with wings), or swarmers, are placed in the satellite nests.
• If you see winged ants (swarmers) in the home it means the nest has been there for at least one year as the winged ants, in their larval stage,  were brought into the nest the previous summer.
• Carpenter ants often go unnoticed inside homes because they are usually active at night.
• If carpenter ants are seen inside the home during the winter it definitely means you have a satellite nest inside the home since the colonies outside the home are dormant during the winter.
  Carpenter ants coming out of firewood during Winter, will not build a new nest.

Identification

• They are black or red and black in color with an evenly rounded thorax. There are several different species of carpenter ants present in Minnesota and they can be difficult to identify by size alone.
• Different sized individuals (3/8" - 5/8" - queens up to 1 inch), are determined by their caste: Queens, drones (male reproductives), major, and minor workers. All castes, except the Queen, can be present in both main and satellite colonies.

Biology

• Main colonies take 2 or more years to reach maturity.
• Mature main colonies will number over 3,000 workers.
• Colonies will not produce winged reproductive ants (swarmers) until the colony is at least two years old.
• They follow a complete life cycle: Egg-Larva-Pupa-Adult. The pupa stage is often identified as “eggs” by homeowners who see the ants carry them from nest to nest.
• Each colony usually has only one wingless queen who can live for over 20 years in the main nest outside..
• Ant eggs are kept in the main colony outside where the moisture level is higher than the structure.
• There are no eggs or any reproduction in the satellite colonies.
• Satellite nests do not need as much moisture as the main nest and can be found throughout a home, even in dry areas such as hollow doors and insulation.

Treatment

The ADAM’S carpenter ant program consists of two treatments during the Spring and Fall which are designed to place an insecticide barrier, approximately one foot up the foundation and one foot out from the foundation wall and around any other ant entry points such as wires, attached fencing, tree limbs, etc., around the entire exterior of the structure. This barrier will intercept any ant that is attempting to enter or leave your home. This treatment is performed with “non-repellent” insecticides that are not detectable by the ants and are transferred to other individuals as they feed and groom each other. During this process the product spreads throughout the colonies and results in the elimination of the entire colony. Interior treatments are generally applied to moisture areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry areas, furnace rooms, and doorways, where ants may be foraging for food and water. The treatment material is effective in controlling ants for several months and eliminates the need for costly monthly/bi-monthly treatments with traditional insecticides. ADAM’S recommends that the treatment be performed twice annually and all structures treated are put under a renewable annual guarantee.

If there are any tree limbs touching the home ADAM’S recommends that the homeowner contact a professional tree trimming company to correct that problem so that ants cannot enter the home directly from the tree and bypass the treatment barrier around the home. Shrubs next to the home should also be trimmed back from touching the structure. Any dead stumps around the home should also be removed.

The ADAM’S technician will inspect the house to determine the areas of highest potential for ant nesting activity and apply a directed treatment to that area to quickly eliminate any satellite nests. They will also determine if there are any current or past water leaks or any obvious water damaged areas, such as around window ledges, door frames, thresholds, leaky roofs, sky lights, patio doors, decks (ledger board area), porch additions (where roof meets house), water stained wood, leaky plumbing, bathtub problems, or windows which develop condensation or frost in the winter that may need maintenance by the homeowner to reduce the likelihood of future infestations. The technician will also search for the presence of coarse sawdust material with insect parts mixed in that are a major indicator of carpenter ant activity.

Ants living inside the structure of the home will forage inside and outside the home and will pass through the treated areas and receive a lethal dose of insecticide. It is not necessary to drill large and possibly damaging holes into walls or windows in your home to solve your ant problem.

Carpenter ant treatment programs and pricing plans vary widely from company to company, as does the pricing. Ant infestations are a potentially serious problem but the structural integrity of your home is not threatened so don’t be rushed into a treatment program which may cost you hundreds of dollars. ADAM’S has been treating homes for over 30 years and has developed a treatment program that is very effective and affordable to homeowners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do you need to drill holes in my walls?

It is usually NOT necessary to drill holes in order to treat for carpenter ants. The ants themselves need to have a means of getting in and out of the void areas, so we inspect and treat all those possible entry/exit points. We may remove electrical outlet/switch covers which gives us access to common travel routes of these ants. DRILLING HOLES IN EXTERIOR WALLS IS NOT EFFECTIVE because the insulation in the walls will usually prevent the insecticidal dust from freely flowing throughout the complete void area. Consumers should be able to expect that pest control technicians will stop the damage being created by carpenter ants, not create more problems with unsightly holes in their walls and windows.

Q: Do they bite?

Although it is possible, it is very rare that they will bite humans. You might have to lie down in a hollow log infested with ants in order to get bitten.

Q: Do we have to leave the house?

It is not required that you leave. However, if you feel more comfortable, you can leave for about 2 - 4 hours until the application has completely dried. If you stay in the house, homeowners, children, and pets, should not be in the area while it is being treated. Customers should advise the technician of any health related issues present in the household so that the technician can take any appropriate precautions.

Q: Is it harmful to pets?

The only pets that seem to be sensitive to minor changes in their environment are birds and fish. If you have birds, you may want to move it to another location. During the treatment process all pets must be moved to areas of the home which will not be treated and kept there until the treatment has dried. Once the treatment is dry pets can resume their normal activities.

Q: Is my house going to be damaged?

Remember the carpenter ants do not eat the wood; they bore into it to make their galleries. Termites use the wood in your home as food. Although carpenter ants do cause damage and should be of concern, they're nests grow at a relatively slow rate. Also, remember that the nests are usually bored into wood that is already damaged due to water or dry rot, therefore you should be concerned about damage do to water leaks and seek to get that corrected. The presence or rotted wood does not necessarily mean you have carpenter ants, however, the presence of carpenter ants usually indicates a rotted wood issue in the structure.