Preventing Carpinter Ants

[jay-n-123]

I've found that Ortho Home Defense and Hot Shot Home Insect Control don't seem to kill ants (the ants are still alive and kicking after several minutes of contact)....am I correct in thinking these products are totally useless?

Since the aforementioned clear non-repellent products don't seem to work, my prevention strategy is to spray outside of building (where wood meets concrete) once a month with ordinary home and garden aerosol (which DOES kill ants). I do this mainly to prevent foragers from wanting to venture into my townhouse, since the ants dislike the smell of the insecticide. I try to direct spray so it gets a little bit underneath the siding. So far this strategy seems to be working.

Was wondering if there is anything that would repel ants besides home and garden insecticide? (looking for something besides insecticide which would have a smell that would repel ants, but which would not cause any damage to the wood or siding, and which would be totally harmless to humans). Does something like that exist?

Thanks,

J.

[greg6755]

You have a moisture problem somewhere.

Correct that and your ant problem will go away on it's own.

But when I find carpenter ants or other pest problems I call the pros.

The company we use always gets rid of the problem pronto and gives us good advise besides.

[bear]

Do a Google on Termidor and Phantom products.

[Joseph Meehan]

You could try telling them that you have a non-union shop?? :-)

... Sorry I could not resist.

[Lar]

Not sure what the active of Hot Shot Home Insect is but I believe The Ortho product is Bifenthrin, which is considered a repellent. Any of the actives that end in -thrin are in a group of insecticides called pyrethroids and they are considered repellents. Many companies base their work on bifenthrin though it probably is at least twice as strong as the over the counter product.

The best preventative is to make sure no tree limbs or shrubbery touches the side of the structure.

The best long term control of carp ants, and other ants too is the Advance Carp Ant Bait...just sprinkle it around the outside will reduce the numbers greatly.

Lar

[Lar]

For the most part the ants need moisture, but it doesn't have to be a moisture problem. They may be getting their moisture needs from the sprinkler system or condensation of plastics in a wall.

Lar

[Norminn]

A really, really bad idea. Have you read about honey bees disappearing? There are loads of BENEFICIAL insects that we NEED around and dumping poison to keep them from getting into the house is a very bad choice.

I would start by locating nests, if you have carpenter ants in/on the house. If you have trees, shrubs or wood fence infested, then take care of the problem - get rid of dead/damaged wood and the carpenter ants will go.

If they do forage into the house, clean it up, seal up entries best you can and use baits in the house. They forage in evening and it is easy to find trails to bait or to locate the nest.

Bugs belong outdoors. Seal up fine openings around windows, doors, plumbing entries, etc. Keep wood painted and in good repair. Keep landscaping off the house = trim tree limbs hanging onto roof, keep gutters clear of debris, keep shrubs from touching wood structure. Then inspect very thoroughly at least once a year for signs of termite tubes or boring insects.

No. It's spring, we just had company - lots of sweets sitting on the counter or getting spilled. Ants all over the counter, as expected. I'm going out to get a little bottle of boric acid ant bait. Ants will be gone tomorrow.

During unusual weather conditions, lots of pests come indoors that normally would not. During a drought, I couldn't walk outside with food or drink and not have hornets coming after it..even tried to get at my eyes!

[Stormin Mormon]

Years ago I tried liquid ant bait from

and havn't seen a carpenter ant since then. Several years later.

[Just Joshin]

I heard bay leaves can repell some ants but don't remember why.

tom @

[dean]

Fipronil kills the nest - its the same stuff terminix uses. You can get it in "Combat" syringe tubes at HD.

I had them in my wall - could hear them chewing the wood while I sat down eating dinner! I drilled holes in the board, injected 10 tubes of the stuff, they were all dead in 2 days and never came back.

But I cannot say that this stufff is better than any other material, all I can say is that it works and Terminix uses it.

[Walter Cohen]