The CARPENTER ANT GEL wouldn't be the best option for this kind of problem. It doesn't do well outside since it's vulnerable to both the heat of summer as well as non-target insects. Honey dew based baits don't do well in extreme heat and they tend to attract many types of insects.  Additionally, there is most likely several ant nests involved here so you need something that will handle multiple nests without you having to know where any of them reside.

For this type of problem, clearly the TERMIDOR listed in our CARPENTER ANT ARTICLE is best suited. I have used it successfully on several trees around my property and in each case it did the job nicely. Because of it's slow action, you will be able to affect all the nests which have ants active on the surfaces you treat – even ant species other than carpenter ants. I recommend treating the tree trunk, tree limbs and as much of the tree house that is practical to treat. I might also consider treating around your house if this tree is in close proximity of it or any other important structure since carpenter ants typically forage great distances. Failure to have a good protective barrier in place will allow them to set up shop elsewhere if other active areas are ignored.

The good news is that you should be able to treat this problem without putting your family at any real risk. We have a bunch of information about Carpenter Ants and I suggest you take some time to read through it if you haven't already. It's important to understand that carpenter ants can cause a lot of damage and of all the ants that can nest inside, they're probably the only one that can do any significant damage to a structure if given the chance.

Fortunately there are several products available these days which are both good at controlling carpenter ants and safe to use. Inside, you'll need to set out some Carpenter Ant Gel where the ants are active. This can be up in cabinets, out of sight and where only the ants can find it. Foraging ants are looking for food and the Gel is something the love to eat. Once they find it and start taking it back to their nest, you'll notice a big reduction on how many you're seeing.

Outside requires some liquid treatments to the foundation. These treatments will insure more don't come inside and should be done every 2-3 months once the problem is resolved; more frequently when you're seeing activity. Choose one of the liquid materials we have listed in our Carpenter Ant Article or the ECO IC Non Toxic alternative. The ECO IC won't last as long  but is safe for us in sensitive areas and would be a good choice if you're hesitant about spraying but really do want to get rid of these ants.

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.

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.

Since you know where the nest is located, you should consider using the Drione dust featured in our Carpenter Ant article. This dust acts like a dessicant and is both fast working and extremely effective on carpenter ants. If you don't want to use this product, you can switch out to Diatomaceous Earth. It too will act as a desiccant and as an organic material is about as safe of a product that can be used.

Around the home and garage you should apply some Suspend or Cypermethrin to insure any stragglers don't relocate and start a new nest. The organic equivalent would the ECO IC Concencentrate. Using all natural ingredients, this product won't last long like the other concentrates but it will offer a residual that should last 1-4 weeks. Most importantly for you, it will be completely safe to use around the pets and family members. All our organic products can be seen at Non Toxic Pest Control.

Carpenter ants are unique in that they will actually spend time removing dead ants from their colony. It could be you are finding dead ants that have been removed from a local nest. The key for you will be determining where the nest is located. It sounds like you are unsure at this time and as our Carpenter Ant article explains, many times it is hard to discover these locations. Remember, ants don't want you to know where they live. But unless you are able to either spray or bait where they are active, it's not likely you'll be able to resolve this problem any time soon.

That being said, I'm pretty sure there is a nest either in or on your home. I would be surprised if they are located far away; it's most likely they are very close based on the numbers you report. I'm thinking in the ceiling void, maybe behind some crown molding or in some air vents, since you're finding these ants out in the open. This is usually a sign of ants being "pushed" out of some small hole up high. Since homes can have nests which don't have ants visually seen all the time, this scenario is fairly common and happens all the time.

At this point the Carpenter Ant Gel might be your best option but you do need to locate the placement to where you have seen activity. From your message, I don't think you know of any activity so this might be hard for you to do. Remember, carpenter ants are nocturnal by nature so they could be out and about in the dark thus avoiding being seen. I suggest you place some of the Ant Gel where you're seeing the dead ones for starters. You are also welcome to give our office a call at 1.800.877.7290. One of our technical reps might be able to ascertain a better remedy after being able to discuss the matter on the phone.

Knowing where the carpenter ant nest is located usually helps a lot when treating a local carpenter ant infestation. At this point I can't say that you have a nest inside the home or not. But if you are seeing as many as you state, chances are high that you do have a nest on the premises. I suggest two things.

First, apply some of the Carpenter Ant Gel we have listed in our Carpenter Ant article. Any ants foraging into the home will surely find the offering, feed and die. If some make it back to the nest, you'll probably kill the nest too. This would be ideal.

Second, to make sure you don't keep getting new ants foraging on the home, apply some Suspend to the outside perimeter of the building. Apply the product with a good Pump Sprayer to insure you get a barrier in place to stop foraging ants. Use this material every 2-3 months during the spring, summer and fall and you should be able to keep the ants outside and out of your house.

Base don the fact that you've seen them each year for several years, I'm pretty sure there is either a nest in or on your house. Since carpenter ants can cause a lot of damage, it would be wise to attempt to do something before the situation gets worse. The first thing you should do is try to locate where the nest is. We have a great video in our Carpenter Ants in House article which highlights how you can find the nest.

Additionally, you should place out some Carpenter Ant Gel when they get active. Since most ants coming out of winter hibernation are seeking food, this gel will  be found quickly and should kill off some of the developing nests even though you won't know where they are located. This is one of the big advantages of the product and why it's both easy to use and effective.