We have carpenter ants only on our kitchen cupboards. There aren’t a lot of them but they are driving me nuts!!!!! We even put food in containers and sanitize the cupboards all the time. HELP! P.S. We are renting.

This is an easy one. If you read our CARPENTER ANT CONTROL article, you’ll learn there are basically three ways of dealing with this pest. The most direct is when you know where they’re nesting. In this case, it sounds like you have no idea so these treatment options won’t apply.

In the second scenario, the ants will be mostly outside the structure and you’re wanting them gone because you know that eventually they’ll move inside and start nesting if you let them roam around and do as they want. This doesn’t appear to be the case with your problem either.

But the last scenario is for when you see them randomly appearing in your home where they’re either feeding on something or getting moisture from where you see them. Based on your message, it seems like these ants are using your cupboards for the former.

To control the problem, you’ll need to apply some CARPENTER ANT GEL inside the cabinets. I recommend removing everything else during this process to make nothing but the gel available to them. They love this bait and will readily feed upon your offering. Once they take some and bring it back to their nest (where ever that might be), they’ll share it with other ants. And once the active ingredient kicks in (which will take 2-4 days), the entire nest will die.

Remember that it doesn’t take a lot of the gel placed out to do the job and that in fact, small dabs throughout the cupboard will do the job. Maybe 8-12 dabs about the size of a grain of rice is all you’ll need. 2-3 dabs on the shelves where you mostly see them. And what you have left of the gel you should save for the future should any other ants start foraging inside because this product will work on other ants too.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Carpenter Ant Gel: http://www.bugspraycart.com/bait/gel/maxforce-carpenter-ant-gel-1-oz

Carpenter Ants:  https://www.carpenterants.com/carpenter-ant-control