back deck

I have been seeing large carpenter ants around my back deck and want to know how to get rid of them. They are quite strong and hard to kill compared to other ants I’ve had over the years. It looks like they’re living in the yard somewhere because I keep seeing them walking out into the grass but I don’t see any mounds or nests. How do I get rid of them?

Carpenter ants can be a real problem once they nest on or in your home. I’m not sure you have a nest in your house just yet and hopefully you don’t. Since carpenter ants can cause a lot of damage, they’re the one type of ant you never want nesting inside your house.

For starters, I suggest you read through our on line article about CARPENTER ANT CONTROL. There you’ll find most of your questions answered about the biology and recommended treatments for this ant. Based on the information you listed above, I think a good foundation spraying with TERMIDOR will keep them out. For the ants that are foraging around in the grass, apply some CARPENTER ANT GRANULES. This food based bait they seem to love and will quickly accept your placements. Once they feed, any nests close by will die and this should insure you don’t get new nests on your house.

I want to get rid of carpenter ants that I’m seeing on my back deck. I’m afraid they’re going to move inside the house and I know they can cause a lot of damage so I want them gone as quickly as possible. I don’t know where they’re nesting but I can see 2-3 on my deck most all the time just walking around. What should I do?

To get rid of carpenter ants foraging around the house, the best approach is to spray the foundation and bait the turf where they are active. As explained in our CARPENTER ANT CONTROL ARTICLE, these ants have a large range and many times will come to one yard to feed even though their nest is in another yard. At first this activity may seem innocent but eventually these ants will either establish a nest inside or on the home outside (which is bad) so don’t let them have access to your deck.

To stop this activity, there are two things you should do. First, bait the perimeter of the home with CARPENTER ANT GRANULES. Carpenter ants love this stuff and will quickly find your placement. Do this application first and don’t do anything else for 3 days. After three days go ahead and spray the foundation with some TERMIDOR or SUSPEND. This residual will provide a much needed barrier on the home so any straglers which are still active will be affected so the local colony will know to stay away for good.