Colony growth for some species is influenced by moisture, with higher moisture levels favoring growth and brood development. This may explain why carpenter ant nests are more common in wood with higher moisture content. Carpenter ants excavate their galleries following the grain of the wood and excavate the spring, or lighter-colored, wood rings.
Unlike termites, which often line their wood galleries with mud, the carpenter ant galleries are clean and smooth. They carry dead insects, shredded wood fragments, and other nest debris from the excavations and place them outside. Cone-shaped piles of these fragments, or frass piles, build up beneath nest openings. Locating a kick-hole provides a way to access a nest for treatment with an insecticide.
Frass is not always visible because ants may dispose of it in hollow parts of trees, in unused galleries in the nest, or in void areas in structures. Carpenter ants enter structures through cracks and crevices around windows and in foundation walls, through heating or air-conditioning ducts, where tree branches or utility lines contact a structure, and through ventilation openings in the attic.
They nest in wood that is moist or has been previously damaged by water or termites. This damage can happen where there is a leak, condensation, or continuously high relative humidity. Typical nest locations include:. Carpenter ants are omnivorous. They eat a great variety of both animal and plant foods including fresh fruits; honeydew from aphids, scale insects, and other plant-sucking insects; living or dead insects; plant juices; other small invertebrates; common sweets such as fruit, honey, jelly, sugar, and syrup; and most kinds of fat, grease, and meat.
Unlike termites, they cannot digest wood cellulose. Carpenter ants forage mostly at night, following fence rails, garden edging, tree branches, water hoses, or other linear guidelines to make their way from a nest in a tree to indoor locations. The key to managing carpenter ants is to identify all locations where a colony could exist. Thoroughly inspect the structure, both inside and out.
Carefully examine common infestation areas for signs of carpenter ants. Conical piles of shredded wood debris frass piles indicate that a nest may be nearby. Outside a structure, examine any attached fences, dead or dying shrubbery, roof edges, tree stumps, trim boards, and wooden porch floors and columns. Also inspect overhanging power or utility lines, tree limbs, and vines. In living trees, openings to a nest usually occur in crotch angles, dead areas, knotholes, or scars. Carpenter ants may travel as far as yards from their nest to a food source; you can sometimes follow foraging carpenter ants to find their nest.
During the inspection, you may find other wood- infesting insects or damage they caused. These actions can reduce the likelihood of carpenter ant infestations:. Baits are a mixture of a toxicant and food that is attractive to carpenter ants.
Baits can reach colonies in out-of-reach or undetected locations and are relatively safe and easy to apply. Several commercial products designed specifically for carpenter ant control include such active ingredients as abamectin, fipronil, and hydramethylnon. This type of insecticide is effective when foraging carpenter ants take the baits and pass the toxin to the queen and brood. Carpenter ants can be selective in what baits they will accept. Some colonies readily take baits; others accept only certain baits at different times of the year.
Carpenter ants tend to have a varied diet, so availability of other foods may also play a role in bait acceptance. If you buy a carpenter ant bait and it is not readily carried away by the ants, try the same product later in the season and it may work. Do not use the containerized baits that are commonly sold in grocery and hardware stores and are designed for general ant control around the home.
They are not effective for Texas carpenter ants. Instead, use carpenter-ant-specific baits in gel or granule form, which are available online, through pest control companies, or through specialized, do-it- yourself pest control shops. Winged termites, queens and kings, are dark-colored and have wings of equal length. Open all Close all.
What they eat Carpenter ants feed on sources of protein and sugar. Outdoors, they feed on living and dead insects. They feed on a sweet liquid produced by aphids and scale insects, called honeydew. Indoors, carpenter ants feed on meats and pet food, as well as syrup, honey, sugar, jelly and other sweets. Carpenter ants do not eat wood. They remove wood as they create galleries and tunnels for nesting. Where they live There are two types of carpenter ant nests: parent nests and satellite nests.
Parent nest are usually found outdoors in decaying wood in trees, tree roots, tree stumps and logs or boards lying on or buried in the ground. Areas around windows and where wood parts touch the foundation may also be prone to infestation. Typical sites include: Behind bathroom tiles. Around tubs, sinks, showers and dishwashers. Under roofing, in attic beams and under subfloor insulation.
In hollow spaces such as doors, curtain rods and wall voids. They can also nest in foam insulation. Carpenter ants during spring. Carpenter ants during winter. Damage Carpenter ants damage wood by excavating and creating galleries and tunnels for their nest. Prevention and control. How to find carpenter ant nests. Indoor control of carpenter ants The best way to control carpenter ants is to locate and destroy the nest, replace damaged or decayed wood, and eliminate any moisture problems.
There can be more than one nest in a building, but only treat nests that have been discovered. Indoor treatment with dust or liquid pesticides Spraying foraging workers is not effective. However, this will not eliminate a nest because: Ants carry very little insecticide back to their nests. Most ants forage outside and do not come in contact with the insecticides. Only a relatively small percentage of a colony's population is out foraging at any given time.
Common products include cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin or permethrin. The more of the colony that is exposed, the better your chance of destroying it. Be prepared to find a carpenter ant colony and have a product ready at the start of construction. Once the nest is exposed, that portion of the colony will try to relocate to protect themselves.
Indoor treatment with baits If you can't find the nest, you may be able to control it with bait a food source combined with a slow-acting poison. Ants need to eat the bait and return to the nest. Baits are effective because ants share their food with others in the nest. If enough bait is moved into a nest, it will be destroyed.
Carpenter ants have complex food preferences and baits may not attract ants long enough to be successful. Baits available for ant control are liquid or gel and commonly contain: Avermectin Borax Fipronil Spinosad The keys to successful baiting are placement and monitoring. Place the bait only in areas where activity has been seen or is strongly suspected.
Monitor the bait over 24 hours for feeding activity. Bait that is ignored should be cleaned up and substituted with another. If bait is consumed, add more. Be patient—baits can take weeks or months to achieve control. Never apply insecticides on or around baits because this will prevent feeding.
Side view of a carpenter ant. Photo of wood damage from a Florida carpenter ant. Quick snapshot of the appearance and distribution of carpenter ants. Carpenter ants require a water source to survive. To prevent brown, red or black carpenter ants in the house, eliminate sources of moisture or standing water. Keep tree branches and other plants cut back from the house.
Sometimes pests use these branches to get into your home. Make sure that there are no cracks or little openings around the bottom of doors or around windows.
Seal all openings with a silicone-based caulk. Also, keep firewood and building materials stored away from the home. Carpenter ants like to build nests in stacks of wood. What kind of damage can a carpenter ant do to my house? Learn more about carpenter ants and the threats they pose. Carpenter ants have powerful jaws and their bites can be painful. They may also inject formic acid into the bite wound, creating a burning sensation.
However, this pain will subside and does not pose a significant health threat. Most species of carpenter ants attack wood that is currently or has previously been wet and damaged by mold. Even though carpenter ants first invade wet, decayed wood, they may later begin excavating tunnels through dry, undamaged wood. They usually come into buildings through cracks around doors, windows, or through plumbing and electrical penetrations in the home. They will also crawl along overhead wires, shrubs, or tree limbs outdoors that touch the building above ground, then enter the home through any small opening.
Carpenter ants build their nests outdoors in various wood sources, including tree stumps, rotting fence posts, old firewood, under stones, etc.
The parent colony, or main colony, is typically located outside and contains the queen, eggs and young. Satellite nests can occur and branch out from the main parent colony and they only contain workers, mature larvae and pupae. Satellite nests are formed in mid-summer both indoors and outdoors and do not form until the parent colony matures over several years. Usually around August, the workers and winged ants will emerge from the pupae. Carpenter ants will begin mating flights in a process called swarming.
If conditions are right, the male releases a pheromone that stimulates the female to leave her nest.
0コメント