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Carpenter ants are pests of the worst kind. While they won’t hurt you, they will “eat” your house if you don’t control their population. Photo courtesy of Bill Dalin
This is the most frequently asked question that I deal with each year and the last two years have been especially active. So, here is the story, and as the saying goes, “I’m sticking to it.”
What are they?
The ants you are seeing are reproductive Carpenter Ants. The largest are fertilized queens that have emerged from the main nest somewhere relatively close and are looking for a place to start a new one. Having said that and before you freak out, know that very few of them will survive to accomplish that goal, and the first step of that process is for them to find a suitable location in the soil or a dead tree where moisture is adequate. They are not, I repeat, NOT an imminent hazard to your home, cabin, or business. Most will end up eaten by birds or animals in the forest. However, they are obnoxious and get into everything.
There are well over 400 mature Carpenter Ant nests per square mile here in Cook and Lake Counties, and that doesn’t include all the immature or satellite colonies.
What does it mean when you see a lot them?
Suppose you are in the forest or close to trees, and I think it’s safe to say we are all in that boat; you will probably see a few. If you see a lot (dozens), it probably indicates there is a mature nest somewhere close.
Carpenter Ants are not good fliers. A nest will produce up to a couple hundred of the queens each year, and they will often climb to a spot where they can catch a breeze and flutter and glide a distance. Some will collide with your cabin or home and then fall to the ground. This explains why we see so many along the foundations and why they often get inside through cracks and crevices and under doors etc. Your home is rarely the source. Your home is the catcher’s mitt, so to speak.
You will also notice that some of these ants have wings and some don’t. All of them had wings originally, but after a few days, they shed them and appear as giant ants. They are all the same. Wingless ants have just been out of the nest longer.
Can I spray enough pesticide to prevent these big ants from gathering or getting in?
The simple answer is NO!
Putting up chemical barriers or spraying your house with repellants won’t affect the source. The ants will still fly, and they will still land on your home, and they will still get in through gaps. Your best friend is a good door sweep, vacuum and knowing that this swarm only lasts a couple of weeks plus or minus. Just know that the birds are having a feast and this is an important part of their food supply at the critical nesting time. As for spraying them, it can be argued that spraying may do more harm than good, insofar as the birds are concerned.
What should I do to prevent an infestation?
Eventually, Carpenter Ants will find you and want to move in. It’s just nature reclaiming its territory. Our homes are wood, trees are wood, and we shouldn’t expect them to know the difference. It may be inevitable in some ways, but we can hold them at bay.
I believe the best thing to do to delay this from happening is to be observant, don’t pile firewood up against your home, replace water damaged or decayed wood, and cut back any trees touching the house.
An excellent home inspection technique is to grab a flashlight and take a tour of the exterior of your house after dark on a warm, humid night. Carpenter Ants are nocturnal and will be much more visible then.
If you see Carpenter Ants in any significant numbers, it makes sense to put up some barriers to prevent the source nest (where they came from) from migrating into your home or cabin. Your local pest management person can help you set up a simple preventative application to keep them out.
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