Parent colonies and satellite colonies.
Carpenter ant nest in attic.
Getting rid of carpenter ants naturally.
It s important to note that the carpenter ants do not eat wood but are attracted to damp wood.
Carpenter ants found in attic.
However this isn t necessarily a sure sign that an entire colony and any satellite colonies of carpenter ants have established their nest within your home.
Baiting has two benefits.
The ants were killed on contact and the homeowner was thrilled at the prospect of no longer having carpenter ants.
The queen is located at the main nest and is supported by the satellites.
Since carpenter ants burrow into wood to create their nests you might hear a rustling sound inside walls or woodwork.
Provided with the ideal conditions of damp wood appropriate temperatures and protection from predators and environmental changes carpenter ant colonies can thrive.
The good news here is that the ants are visible to you and they are still going outdoors to forage which means they will walk through areas that that you treat outdoors.
A carpenter ant nest and signs of an infestation showed up right when we needed it.
The main nest is therefore the objective.
Carpenter ants prefer to nest in moist wood or structures already damaged by other insects.
There was a pretty good amount and some were huge.
As a result most carpenter ant nests are found in decaying wood in areas such as windows chimneys sinks doorframes or bath traps and in hollow spaces such as wall voids.
Parent colonies are usually outdoors found in wood that is moist or rotted places such as tree stumps logs old boards rotting trees or tree roots.
If an infestation is severe you may notice carpenter ant damage in the form of wood shavings beneath window sills and other wood objects in your home.
I believe the most effective way to eliminate carpenter ants is a combination program focused primarily on baiting.
While it would be unusual to have an entire colony in your attic it is not unheard of.
Ants will build nests where ever they can find a suitable area to do so.
However carpenter ants maintain a system with a main nest and satellite colonies.
With rotting damp wood that is normally found near the roof penetration your attic offers sustenance to carpenter ants.
So i was removing attic insulation and found some carpenter ants just hanging out under the insulation blown in cellulose.
In order to eradicate the nest we drilled a series of small holes in the window frame and injected an insecticidal dust.