carpenter ants in kitchen cupboard

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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

carpenter ants in shed

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Hi, I’m going good with the chippy trap that I bought.  Now I see Carpenter ants in my shed and small ants all around my yard.  No ants in the house.  Can I use one combination of products to apply outside to start to control these pests?  Like a spray and a gel?  Also, the temp is nearing 40 degrees at night, is this too cold and I should wait until Spring?  Thanks so much.

If you read through our CARPENTER ANT CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll see there are plenty of options available that can handle this pest. Some of these are for treating nests that are active in specific locations. Based on your message, it would seem likely there is a nest in the shed and maybe 1-2 others around the yard. And if you leave them untreated now, no doubt they’ll be back next year and at that time, will be looking to expand their size and territory. My advise is that you knock them out now.

To accomplish this, you could use 2-3 products. The simplest approach would be to bait the shed with some CARPENTER ANT GEL. This will no doubt infiltrate and kill any nests that contains ants that eat some.

Next I’d spray the exterior of the home with some PHANTOM. Lastly, I’d bait the yard with some MAXFORCE GRANULES. This will no doubt take care of most all pests you might have in and around the home and since it’s still early fall, you have plenty of time for these products to take effect and knock them out now.

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

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

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

Phantom:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/phantom-21-oz

Maxforce Granules:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/bait/granule/maxforce-gran

maple tree infested with ants

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WE HAVE AN OLD MAPLE THAT IS LOADED WITH CARPENTER ANTS. IS IT TOO LATE TO SAVE THE TREE?

It’s not likely carpenter ants can kill a tree by themselves. In fact most trees will develop weak spots where pests like ants love to nest. But even after a nest is started, most won’t harm a tree. However, there are a few that can and no doubt carpenter ants are one of these “bad” species.

That being said, in my experience it’s more likely they’ll use spaces, cracks and crevices already present on the tree to make their nests. Such areas will develop under the bark or where limbs sustain normal damage due to weather or wind. So if you’re seeing a healthy tree full of leaves and void of any evident sickness, it’s more likely the ants have an active nest but that the tree is still very much alive. Such trees should be able to live indefinitely and are designed to overcome mild insect activity. But should you allow the ants to continue nesting even if the tree is healthy? No way!

If you’d like to ensure the tree’s long term health, get it treated with some TERMIDOR. This unique formulation is slow acting and as ants travel over the treated bark, they’ll be picking up a dose of active that will eventually spread throughout their nest. Within 4-8 days, it will effectively shut down any nests it’s carried to making it both effective yet easy to use without knowing where the nests are located. But if you can see where the nest is located, a direct treatment with the DRIONE will be fast and immediate. Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Termidor:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/termidor-sc-20-oz

Drione:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust

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

carpenter ant damage

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I have Carpenter ant damage at my house where an old deck meets the house.  How would you recommend getting rid of them?

If you have damage you should be seeing ants. And if you’re seeing ants, trailing them to the nest would be easy and suggested. In all cases like this the first thing you need to do is dust with DRIONE. You’ll see this listed in our CARPENTER ANT CONTROL ARTICLE. It will provide quick control since it penetrates all spaces and voids effectively. I suggest you watch the video as this demonstrates why it’s so effective to use for spaces.

I also recommend spraying the foundation with some TERMIDOR to make sure you have a barrier in place that will get any stragglers or other nests you may have missed.

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

Drione:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust

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

Termidor:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/termidor-sc-20-oz