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How to get rid of Carpenter Ants?

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LAN_403

Inducktion

Wed Oct 12 2011, 02:20AM

Registered Member #3637 Joined: Fri Jan 21 2011, 11:07PM
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1068

It seems my house has a bit of an infestation of them and they're starting to get really annoying.

My parents won't hire an exterminator to relieve the problem, since they don't think it's that big of a deal apparently, even though the ants are ...rather numerous, especially in the kitchen where they apparently snack on delicious sweet goods we occasionally forget to put away.

When we had our windows replaced a few weeks ago, there was quite literally a nest of carpenter ants living in the front part of my house, queens, drones, and all. The wood was so spongy from their holes I could break it without even really trying. (that is the part that concerns me) They sprayed the nest, and we thought we were rid of them.

Not so. A couple days ago I recently found another drone ant in the basement, and then in the office of my house, both very large, and winged. The bastards are practically invincible too; I crushed one, and it was STILL alive, somehow.

I'm tired of waking up in the morning to see carpenter ants all over the kitchen counter, and finding carpenter ants just waltzing around in the office like they own the place.

Is there any home remedies, or something I could do myself to get rid of these annoying pests?

Chip Fixes

Wed Oct 12 2011, 02:49AM

Registered Member #3781 Joined: Sat Mar 26 2011, 02:25AM
Location:
Posts: 701

Oh you want to take those things seriously, a few years ago there was a story in the paper about a house that partially collapsed because of carpenter ants. Here is a good start I think:

Adam Munich

Wed Oct 12 2011, 04:20AM

Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242

Try this:

Leave a bowl of candy out overnight.
In the morning it'll be filled with ants.
Flood the bowl and drown all the ants.
Leave the dead ants out as an example for the other ants.

Seems to have worked for me...

Turkey9

Wed Oct 12 2011, 04:52AM

Registered Member #1451 Joined: Wed Apr 23 2008, 03:48AM
Location: Boulder, Co
Posts: 661

I would add that you should then impale the ant heads on needles and place them in your office and kitchen for greater effect.

Mattski

Wed Oct 12 2011, 05:35AM

Registered Member #1792 Joined: Fri Oct 31 2008, 08:12PM
Location: University of California
Posts: 527

My usual tactic when ants invade is to spray them with household cleaner (which generally kills them), then wipe them and their trail up with a paper towel. Trace their trail back to where the entered the house and clean up the scent trail. If possible, follow the trail outside and eliminate the trail or even follow it back to the source.

Clean up counters diligently in the kitchen, I once had ants attack a cutting board with some food scraps on it that I'd left out for only an hour or so. Deal with food scraps quickly and don't leave out anything sugary. They can be attracted to bits of soda in the bottom of a soda can, or bits of sugar that dripped down near the cap of a liqueur bottle.

Patrick

Wed Oct 12 2011, 06:02AM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

Use high explosives, never seen any bugs that can survive properly placed HE.

Or just convince your parents the ants will wreck your home. And in this day and age i really wouldnt want to tangle with a bank over home value or repairs needed, given how cowardly the mega-banks/government are.

Also, ive been told you can pour flammable liquid down the dirt hole in your yard. Supposedly it really F's them up. But ive never tried it.

Carbon_Rod

Wed Oct 12 2011, 06:08AM

Registered Member #65 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:43AM
Location:
Posts: 1155

Borax works as a preventative measure on a cord of wood.

However, flour fine Diatomaceous earth is nontoxic and eventually kills just about any insect with a shell.

Mixing it in an inert carrier like an oil means it can be sprayed like a paint.

Inexpensive abrasive dirt is a great deal if you have a large lawn you don't want infested with fire ants.

Patrick

Wed Oct 12 2011, 06:12AM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

Carbon_Rod wrote ...

However, flour fine Diatomaceous earth is nontoxic and eventually kills just about any insect with a shell

I know of the Borax trick, but how does the Diatomaceous dirt kill them? does it stop there breathing though their abdomen thingies?

haxor5354

Wed Oct 12 2011, 12:46PM

Registered Member #2063 Joined: Sat Apr 04 2009, 03:16PM
Location: Toronto
Posts: 352

hot glue all cracks and holes you see near the nest

Thomas W

Wed Oct 12 2011, 03:37PM

Registered Member #3324 Joined: Sun Oct 17 2010, 06:57PM
Location:
Posts: 1276

if the nest is outside stick 2 pipes in it,
get 2 syringes fill one with Sodium hypochlorite (Bleach) and one with HCL
press down the HCL syringe then press down the Sodium hypochlorite(Bleach) syringe
then hold your breath :P

i wonder if this would actualy work?

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