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.

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.