Identify Ants: A How To Resource

At a glance..

Learn how to arm yourself against pesky insects. This resource will teach you to properly identify ants, including carpenter ants, which are known to cause extensive damage to wood structures and houses' foundations.

The details..

Carpenter ants can be a nuisance when they invade homes but only cause damage if they nest in wood or insulation. This book provides information on identifying these large dark insects that live in highly organized societies with hundreds or thousands of workers, including winged queens and males seen during spring or early summer mating flights. Carpenter ants eat almost anything people eat and are especially fond of sweets, fats, proteins as well as other insects dead or alive.

This guide explains the damage caused by carpenter ant nests consisting of irregular tunnels (galleries) where eggs are laid for small white immatures fed by workers until developing into adult ants. Damp or rotting wood is attractive for ant nests due to its fungal growth making tunneling easier while excavations look sandpaper smooth kept clean unlike termite galleries packed with mud and excrement.

The authors describe common nesting sites inside homes such as damp areas from rainwater leaks/seepage under dishwashers/washing machines/shower/tub drains/kitchen wall voids/behind water-damaged fascia/chimney flashing/in firewood recently brought indoors/near air-conditioning condensation/insulation/direct soil contact untreated landscape timbers/decks/porch steps/pillars along with outside locations like firewood/stumps/trees/unprotected wood structures.

Readers will learn about structural modifications discouraging carpenter ants replacing moist/rotting wood using pressure/borate treated materials trimming shrubs/tree limbs preventing house contact caulking wires/pipes entering cracks around window-door frames keeping gutters clean modifying grade away from foundation storing dry firewood ventilating attics/crawl spaces reducing humidity alongside chemical controls locating accessible colony headquarters applying granular baits designed specifically for carpenters available through pest controllers/containerized bait trays killing colonies within several days removing individual ants via vacuuming avoiding indoor spraying providing temporary relief/residual sprays useless against internal infestations.