So you have carpenter ants. What now? Should you be worried? Are they going to destroy your house? After all, they will eat through all your wooden structures, and pretty soon the place will be falling down around you. Right? Well, actually this is not the case. While termites eat wood, carpenter ants actually eat protein and sugar, such as meats and pet food, as well as syrup, honey, sugar, jelly, and anything else sweet. They only chew holes in wooden structures because that's where they carve out their nests. However, while they are not nearly as threatening to your home as termites are, they can still do a tremendous amount of damage over time, if they are not dealt with.

What can you do to try to eliminate carpenter ants?

• Baits: You can try using protein-based bait. This may work. However, it may not. Carpenter ants tend to be really adverse to baits. One type of carpenter ant might take it, but, more often than not, it doesn't completely wipe out the colony.
• Reduce moisture: Ants love moisture. Replace any moisture-damaged wood, and use dehumidifiers or fans to dry out wet areas in your home.
• Food storage: Seal all foods inside the fridge or in sealed plastic containers.
• Rocks: To keep ants out of your home, create a natural barrier of rocks around your home. This will keep moisture away from your foundation. If you can't do this, make sure all dirt is away from the sides of your home, not touching the wood.
• Trim vegetation: Make sure all bushes and shrubs are trimmed back from your outside walls, at least 8-10 inches, so that ants cannot use them as a bridge to your home. Also, trim vegetation away from wires that go into your home. Ants use these as bridges.
• Seal cracks: Inspect your foundation, walls, and roof for any gaps and cracks. Seal these with a caulking gun so ants cannot get in.
• Firewood: Make sure all wood is stored as far away from your home as possible. Elevate the wood off the ground if you can.

A multi-pronged approach might work. If you are able to do each of these things, you might just have success in eliminating your carpenter ant problem, but you will not know for sure, without the help of a professional inspection.

If you want to truly stop carpenter ants, you must eliminate the parent colony. If only the satellite colonies are eradicated, it is almost certain that they will come back. Carpenter ants are very difficult to get rid of completely using only do-it-yourself methods. To be absolutely sure those ants are gone, you will need to seek professional help. Here at Thomas Pest Services, we offer several pest management programs that target these wood-destroying ants, as well as other household pests such as termites, wasps, cockroaches, and rodents. Thomas can help you get rid of carpenter ants with highly effective carpenter ant control. Give us a call today and get started on being carpenter-ant free.