Archives for April 19, 2009

chewing sound on wood from ants

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I can hear what sounds like a chewing sound in one of my wall voids. At first I thought it was a mouse or rat but the sound seems to stay in the same area all the time. When I go outside and look around the only thing I see are large black ants going up under the siding. Could they be doing something in there I might be hearing?

The ant you’re describing is probably a carpenter ant. These are large, black ants that nest in wood. They have strong chewing mouth parts and will readily gnaw through wood. This gnawing can get quite loud and I’m pretty sure it’s what you’re hearing.

Since carpenter ants can cause a lot of damage, I suggest you either treat the home as described in our Carpenter Ant article or get a service company to do the treatment for you. The gnawing is usually the sound of a new infestation and though it will probably subside in a few weeks, the ants will still be present which will only lead to further problems.

boring ants in siding

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I’ve had large black boring ants that seem to be drilling holes in my cedar siding. I watch them go into several different cracks between the siding shakes and all day long you can see little wood shavings fall out if you watch long enough. They must be boring in the wood and I’m afraid they’re causing damage. What can I treat with here?

The best product for treating boring ants in wood siding is the Drione Dust. Use a Hand Duster to apply it and you’ll get a quick kill because the dust penetrates like no liquid can. Boring ants will move up into siding because it provides an excellent location for them to build a nest as our on line Boring Ant Article explains. This video shows boring ants in siding being treated so you can understand why Drione is ideal for ant problems located in the siding of a home.

how to kill wood ants in wood pile

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I’ve been seeing a lot of wood ants around my firewood pile. I see saw dust like something is grinding up the wood and I’m pretty sure it’s the wood ants. Is there anything I can spray on the wood that won’t be toxic to burn?

Wood ants, also known as carpenter ants, like to nest in wood as explained in our carpenter ant article. They don’t eat the wood but rather bore through it creating voids in which they nest. Firewood piles are common places for such activity and will almost always attract wood ants if left untreated.

First, locate the wood pile as far away from your home as you can. This will help to decrease the likelihood that they’ll create a nest on the house. Next, treat the wood with Diatomaceous Earth using a Hand Duster. This will both kill them on contact and keep them away. Apply as needed throughout the season. This should keep them controlled but if you find the dust isn’t working well enough, get some of the Termidor and spray it around the base of the pile. This way any ants coming to or leaving the wood pile will be affected and this will keep the area wood ant nest free.