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Carpenter
Ants
NOTE: All
foundations are usually treated in May for carpenter ants. You may see dead or
dying ants within your unit due to this treatment.
The first
step in long-term carpenter ant control is to eliminate favorable
conditions. In the great majority of cases this means correcting
moisture conditions, and perhaps replacing damaged wood. Sometimes, they
will follow openings, such as where wires enter the buildings, into the
home. The Association uses the services of an exterminator to provide a
"barrier strip" of insecticide around our buildings each
spring to prevent foraging ants from entering the structure.
Anyone
living in a country environment, as we do, knows that carpenter ants are
difficult to control. They are hardy insects who tend to make their
nests in well-hidden, hard-to-reach areas. It takes a professional to
locate their nests, precisely apply products to eliminate the current
infestation, and provide sound advice about repairs and modifications
you can make to obtain the best-possible long-term results.
One unit
owner shares his experience. You may
have had a similar situation in your unit. More and more of these large
black ants were finding their way up the walls in back of the stove.
They don’t act like other kinds of ants, drawn to food. The
exterminator who was called in traced the problem to the basement room.
Above the suspended ceiling, in between two of the studs, was a very
impressive nest. Elimination of that nest by the exterminator has taken
care of the problem for the last two years. Eliminating carpenter ants
is not a do-it-yourself job. Most exterminators will guarantee
protection for a good period of time and will return if needed.
Once the
problem becomes an inside one, the unit owner is responsible. It is
always a good idea, if you are in this situation, to alert your
neighbors so they can take preventative steps. Once in the building,
nests can easily spread from one unit to the next.
In most
cases, insecticide treatments will be necessary to eliminate current
infestations, but there is no one "right way" to treat for
carpenter ants. Each case is different and must be evaluated
individually. Simple steps like these will help minimize the need for
future chemical treatments. |
