Carpenter Ants

DEAR TIM: Every spring for the past several years I have battled carpenter ants in my house. They invade my kitchen. I have purchased every off the shelf product in an attempt to defeat these pests. Are they hurting my house? Is there a way to control these pests? Can I win the war? V. E.

DEAR V. E.: Ah! A comrade in arms. I too have been battling carpenter ants for several years. However, I feel that I have turned the tide in my battle. Our foe is formidable. Carpenter ants of one species or another are located just about everywhere in North America. The greatest concentration of species is in the eastern United States.

Carpenter ants do not eat wood like termites. They are incapable of digesting cellulose. However, they do excavate wood as a nesting site. Outdoor nest sites might include trees, logs, fence posts, wood piles, or other large pieces of wood. Indoor nesting locations can be floor joists, hollow doors, window and door trim, or any other hollow or hidden location.

The excavations into wood can cause serious structural damage. The ants can burrow deeply into wood in a constant effort to create space for a growing colony. The pathways or galleries usually start in soft or moist wood. However, once established, the voracious ants can easily gnaw into perfectly sound, dry wood.

The insurance company needs to be sent a copy of the letter to put them on notice of a possible claim. These letters need to be sent to both companies via certified mail with a return receipt being sent to you. Keep these very valuable receipts.