Carpenter Ants Control
For the past three years, I have been waging a battle with carpenter ants. Just about this time each year, the devils wake up from their winter hibernation with an insatiable appetite. They head straight for my kitchen. They know exactly where the garbage can is located. You would think there is a flashing neon sign on the exterior of my house that says "Eat at Tim's."
My 3-year-old daughter Kelly has become an excellent defender. She will readily attack the ants and step on them with her bare feet. The only problem is they keep coming in wave after wave, especially under the cover of darkness.
Different Divisions
Carpenter ants belong to the biological genus Camponotus. There are quite a few species that live in various parts of the USA. They can be found in well hidden beach heads in Florida and the Gulf Coast or in mountainous terrain as high as 9,000 feet above sea level.
These insects are one of the largest ants found in the USA. An average size worker ant is usually 1/4 inch long. Mature queens, the head of the colony, can be as large as 3/4 inch in length. Most species are predominantly black in color. However, it is not at all unusual for you to see ones that have yellow, brown, or red coloration as well. All of the ants have pinched waists.
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There are a minimum of 9 different species (divisions) that are heavily entrenched throughout the countryside. The ones found in colder climates hunker down (hibernate) for the winter. Those located in warmer climates can and do continue offensive operations throughout the year.
Threat - Perceived or Real?
Carpenter ants pose a real threat to us. Although they do not eat and digest wood like termites, they do "bite" or excavate it as they enlarge their nest sites. Nests can be found in a variety of locations: logs, living trees, firewood, dead tree roots, stumps, any interior or exterior house lumber (framing, siding, doors & trim), etc.
The sites are usually started in wood that is decayed, wet, or rotten. However, once they have started a nest, it is not uncommon for them to attack perfectly dry and sound wood. In the wild, the ants are very beneficial. Their wood excavation work helps to create topsoil. They also protect trees by eating insects that would otherwise defoliate healthy trees. They are only a pest when we invade or or come close to their territory.
Carpenter Ant Camps
The typical carpenter ant colony is a very structured environment. It is ruled by a queen who does nothing but lay eggs.
Each spring special male and female reproductive ants emerge from all existing nests simultaneously. These winged reproductives mate. The male reproductive ants die soon after mating, as they are weak. The female ants who were fertilized look for new colony sites.
Once a fertilized female finds a nest location, she enters and seals off the door. She is now the queen of the new colony. She lays the first eggs of the new colony. These eggs hatch and out pop the first workers of the new colony. They immediately get to work gathering food for the queen. In addition, they start to enlarge the nesting location for future generations.
Super House Cleaners
Carpenter ant workers are unbelievable house keepers. As they excavate the nest, they keep these passageways (galleries) immaculately clean. In fact, the excavated galleries are perfectly smooth, as if sanded. This, in essence, is how they derived their name, carpenter.
The worker ants carry the dirt, debris, and wood shavings out of the nest. This wood debris is sometimes evidence of their activity. You may see wood dust in a room, basement, or attic area. If so, it may be a sign that you have got a problem. However, it is possible to have a nest in your house and not see any wood particles. The ants may deposit these bits of wood and debris in an interior hollow spot such as a wall cavity, soffit, or some other hidden location.
Spread Out!
Carpenter ants don't always live in just one camp. These ingenious insects often develop satellite nesting locations that are connected by a trail network to the parent colony. The ants from one nest may bivouac at another nesting location for several days. The ants communicate with one another as to food source locations.
Their survival instinct is strong. In an effort to mask their feeding and foraging, they conduct most of this important activity under the cover of darkness. Just after sunset, ants emerge from the hidden nest locations in an effort to get food. Often they end up at my house. I intend to win the war. I wish you luck!
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