It can be tempting to reach for a can of spray insecticide when you see a large black Carpenter Ant tracking across the floor in your house or garage. But for thorough Carpenter Ant control, you really need a Carpenter Ant-killing product that targets the source of the problem.
Carpenter Ants are found throughout North America, but they cause the most headaches for homes built in wooded rural areas. Carpenter Ants are large - ranging in size from 3/8 to 1/2inch long! They also come in a variety of colors, although the most common appearance is generally dark brown to jet-black.
Carpenter Ants most often nest outdoors in hollowed-out wooded structures, such as trees or other types of moist or rotted wood. Worker Carpenter Ants burrow through wood with powerful mandibles to excavate living spaces. Finding small piles of wood shavings around your house is a telltale sign you have a Carpenter Ant infestation. But because the nest is located deep inside these wooded structures, spray insecticides simply can’t reach where these ants continuously breed. Adding to the difficulty is that Carpenter Ants create satellite nests away from the parent nest, which is where the queen resides.
For ideal Carpenter Ant control you need an ant killer, like Combat® , that targets the source. Carpenter Ants feed mostly on sweets and high protein substances like meat. Combat® combines an ant insecticide formulated with a carbohydrate-rich attractant that lures Carpenter Ants. Foraging ants mistake Combat® as a food source and bring it back to the various nests, including the parent nest where it’s shared with the queen and other ants. As Combat® is spread throughout the colony wiping out the entire Carpenter Ant colony.
Place Combat® Baits near the areas where you find the small piles of wood shavings to target the Carpenter Ants in your home. Periodically check the baits to be sure the ants are consuming the bait and regularly replenish consumed baits to discourage any further ant infestations.
Finally, trim bushes and shrubs so that they’re not touching the exterior walls of your house. Clear away dead foliage and branches, piles of wood or logs, and any other type of debris that has gathered around your house. In addition, keep garbage can lids tightly shut and remove other types of food and water sources, such as standing puddles.
If you would like more information on how Combat® Baits and Gel work and how to prevent Carpenter Ants from invading your home, check out our Five Ways to Outsmart Ants video.
