Ant Killing & Control

– Automotive Repair –

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Carpenter ants are most active at night, emerging after dusk and returning to their colony prior to dawn. Some foraging occurs during the day.

Carpenter ants use their strong mouthparts to tunnel wood to make galleries. This resulting sawdust looks like fine wood shavings, but is not powdery.

Contrary to popular belief these ants DO NOT eat wood. The diet of carpenter ants includes living and dead insects, honeydew from aphids, sweets, meat, and fats.

Both species of Carpenter ants nest in wood and are often associated with moisture problems.

In structures, they are often found where water has leaked and soaked the surrounding wood, around plumbing, under windows, in soffits, where the roof has leaked.

Carpenter Ant Management

Management involves eliminating moisture problems associated with interior colonies to correct conditions suitable for colony survival. Treatment involves locating and appropriately treating colonies. Insecticidal dusts are often used in wall voids because liquid insecticides soak into wood and may not spread throughout wall voids so ants will track the dust back to the colony. Colonies can sometimes be eliminated by discarding infested wood or by vacuuming ants. In these situations, no insecticides may be needed.

• Pharoah Ant

Pharoah ants nest in secluded spots and prefer temperatures between 80-86 degrees Fahrenheit. These ants are frequent house invaders; often found around kitchen and bathroom faucets where they obtains water. Pharoah ants feed on sweets but prefer fatty foods. The ants also eat dead insects and prey on other insects. Pharoah ants are more common in warmer climates.

Management:

Residual insecticides are not useful because colonies tend to split. Baiting is the preferred management strategy.

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