Carpenter Ants, a common problem for many U.S. households are difficult to control, therefore cause a large number of callbacks for pest control operators.

On warm spring days, carpenter ant presence may be apparent when swarms of large winged ants hover near windows or wingless ants forage through kitchens and pantries. Structural damage may occur when a large colony nests in a building, but most of the time it’s limited to minor cosmetic damage. The damage is often misdiagnosed as the work of termites.

CHARACTERISTICS

Carpenter ants usually reside in and around homes. Workers vary in length from one-fourth to three-eighth inches and have mandibles, while queens are winged and often are about one-half inch long. Several carpenter ant species are in the U.S. The Camponotus pennsylvanicus is the most common species in the Eastern states, while the Camponotus modoc thrives in the west. Camponotus floridonis and Componotus tortuganus are common Floridian species. Most species are blackish with red or yellow features.

BIOLOGY

A single queen initiates a colony in the soil, beneath a rock or in a hole previously hollowed in the wood. She lays a few eggs that hatch into small workers in 60 to 70 days. The workers forage to feed the queen, her young and to build the nest. Larger workers protect the nest, explore and forage for food. The colony matures after two to six years, when winged reproductives are formed. At this point, the colony may comprise 2,000 to 3,000 individuals.

Carpenter ant workers will venture more than 100 yards to search for food, laying pheromone trails along the way to lead them back to the nest. They eat a variety of animal and plant foods, including live and dead insects, as well as scraps of food intended for human consumption.

BEHAVIOR

Carpenter ants excavate large, smooth galleries in wood, creating a sandpaper finish look: thus the name “carpenter” ant. The ants burrow in wood for nesting purposes, creating galleries in moist or unsound wood.

Homes in or near wooded areas often are subject to carpenter ant infestation. The ants establish nests outdoors and set up satellite nests within homes. Ants in search of food enter through cracks, along wires or tree limbs or in firewood. Outdoor nesting sites include hollow logs or stumps, landscaping timbers, telephone poles and fence posts. Indoors carpenter ants nest in window sills, trim, hollow doors, roofs, porch pillars and joists. They typically excavate the softer wood, leaving the harder layers as gallery walls.

CONTROL

You will likely need the services of a certified pest management professional. To know they are reputable, verify they are in good standing with the state pest management association. The state association attests that they have the latest information and training. Bargain prices are not what’s needed in this case.

Once carpenter ant nests are located, application of a residual insecticide directly to the nest or gallery to control the colony, making sure to find the queen. Indoors, the technician may have to drill into or open voids when locating and treating nests. Nozzles that create a mist aid in dispersing the insecticide throughout the void.

Typical crack and crevice treatment can help maintain control. Use of baits supplements the residual insecticide application and fits into an overall control program. Perimeter treatment during the spring can protect the house from insect entry. The wettable powder formulation assures long-term control in the outdoor environment.

Chemical control measures are the most effective when accompanied by basic sanitation practices and elimination of high-moisture conditions.

Source:
Pest Ledger

Tags: ants, carpenter ants, infestation, nesting sites, pests, wood

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 9th, 2009 at 12:27 pm and is filed under Pest Control. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.