Carpenter Ants-Should I be concerned

[goof008]

I did a search and found that I shouldn't be too worried that the ants that came in the wood will ruin the wood. I do plan to split off the bad wood and keep the rest to burn. My question is, how concerned should I be that all these carpenter ants are/were near my house and are now out in my woods. I haven't really noticed them before back there and don't want a problem with them. Should I spray or spread a granular pesticide where I split my wood to limit their spread? The trees in the woods behind my house are poplar, maple and oak, if that matters much.

 

[andrethegiant70]

Hi! I'll be looking in on this thread to see what folks say. I have the same issue. My house is a timber frame structure and I'm pretty spooked when I see capenter ants. I always leave wood infested by carpenter ants in the woods and I always have a can of Raid around when I'm splitting in case I hit a nest. Perhaps I'm paranoid, but my house is too valuable an investment to ferry pests into it.

This is anecdotal information, of course, but my neigbor does tell a story about his father who started getting dry, powdery sawdust over near where he stored his indoor firewood. The pest control guy indicated that the culprits were capenter ants.

 

[Ed*L]

This is anecdotal information, of course, but my neigbor does tell a story about his father who started getting dry, powdery sawdust over near where he stored his indoor firewood. The pest control guy indicated that the culprits were capenter ants.

Dry powdery sawdust is usually the sign of powder post beetles, not carpenter ants.
Carpenter ants must have a certain moisture content to live, to dry and they will leave/die.

I will leave "Ant Wood" in the woods until winter, bring it home and throw it in the stove immediately. Thats the safest way to do it.

Ed

 

[PA Plumber]

I happen to bring home some Cherry once that was loaded. Stacked it near the house and now much wiser in that arena. We ended up getting carpenter ants in the house. There is a chance we had moisture problems anyway. I don't bring home ant infested wood anymore and haven't had any problems since.

 

[Oregon Engineer]

The carpenter ants will die out slowly as long as the queen is not present to birth more. Carpenter ants in the wood could include the queen. If the queen is present then you have some potential problems because she could move from the wood into your yard or house.

Spring time is when the carpenter ants reproduce more queens. If you see large four winged carpenter ants then you have an active colony nearby.

I need to thank a wood pecker for alerting me to a carpenter ant infestation in my house. After hearing the wood pecker hammer the corner of my house and seeing the damage it was doing, I got out my pellet gun. Before pulling the trigger it occured to me the wood pecker was probably just after a meal and not out to lower my property value. I waited till after dark and closely looked around the base of my house. I found a dark stream of ants flowing into and out of the house. I moved my firewood and trimmed trees away from the house and now also spread granuals around the base of my home every spring.

Isolate your wood with the ants, split it open and kill the ants, or listen for the knock of a wood pecker on your house.

 

[goof008]

the wood has been moved away, but I also don't want the ants to get a hold of any of the trees in my woods. I have seen a lot of large, winged ants, I killed the ones I could. Must be time to get out the diazonin.

 

[Oregon Engineer]

Spring time is when the carpenter ants reproduce more queens. If you see large four winged carpenter ants then you have an active colony nearby.

I should have included that the large four winged carpenter ants are queens.

 

[Cedarkerf]

Use the ant bait they take back to the nest. I use one called "Grants Kills ants"

 

[talon1189]

I did a search and found that I shouldn't be too worried that the ants that came in the wood will ruin the wood. I do plan to split off the bad wood and keep the rest to burn. My question is, how concerned should I be that all these carpenter ants are/were near my house and are now out in my woods. I haven't really noticed them before back there and don't want a problem with them. Should I spray or spread a granular pesticide where I split my wood to limit their spread? The trees in the woods behind my house are poplar, maple and oak, if that matters much.

If ya get desparate........my friend here is for rent......He loves ants

 

[Urbicide]

the wood has been moved away, but I also don't want the ants to get a hold of any of the trees in my woods. I have seen a lot of large, winged ants, I killed the ones I could. Must be time to get out the diazonin.

I get out my trigger-start Bernzomatic propane torch when they start swarming and help them dry off their wings.

(Talon, I need a flame-thrower smiley here, thanks.)

 

[talon1189]

I get out my trigger-start Bernzomatic propane torch when they start swarming and help them dry off their wings.

(Talon, I need a flame-thrower smiley here, thanks.)

Welp.........here is ga best I can do on short notice.........It's awesome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq1EjBT9kwM

 

[PA Plumber]

the wood has been moved away, but I also don't want the ants to get a hold of any of the trees in my woods. I have seen a lot of large, winged ants, I killed the ones I could. Must be time to get out the diazonin.

Don't do it, MAN!!! We're all here for you...

Oh, it's for the ants, never mind.:blush: :blush: :biggrinbounce2:

 

[Fubar411]

Another potential predator would be chickens. They love grubs, ants, and termites. I have them "guarding" my wood pile through some welded wire. I don't want them getting on the pile as shikensheet probably doesn't smell too good burning, but I do let them out on occasion.

 

[Urbicide]

Welp.........here is ga best I can do on short notice.........It's awesome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq1EjBT9kwM

That was intense! How does that work? I bet he doesn't get too many riders! I would like to see that guy pull up along some wanna-be pimp who thinks his spinning wheel covers are "it" and just light him up!:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Urbicide]

Another potential predator would be chickens. They love grubs, ants, and termites. I have them "guarding" my wood pile through some welded wire. I don't want them getting on the pile as shikensheet probably doesn't smell too good burning, but I do let them out on occasion.

My neighbor next to my woodlot raises chickens. I think I would rather deal with the ants.

 

[goof008]

I was reaching for the MAPP gas Benz0matic, then had ugly visions of flames spreading from the saw chips and noodles up the side of the house. The wife would kill me if I burn down another garage....not to mention I'm a former/soon to be again firefighter. The shame would kill me quicker than the Diazonin would!

 

[Urbicide]

I was reaching for the MAPP gas Benz0matic, then had ugly visions of flames spreading from the saw chips and noodles up the side of the house. The wife would kill me if I burn down another garage....not to mention I'm a former/soon to be again firefighter. The shame would kill me quicker than the Diazonin would!

Another garage?

 

[rb_in_va]

Another garage?

That was what struck me.

How many you burned down?

 

[Vibes]

I've had a problem with ants off and on for years. From what I've been told they can only chew through wet and wrotten wood. I did alot of remodeling through the years, and the only problem areas I found was an area of the roof that had a bad board that should have been taken out when the leak was fixed, and a 2x8 that was behind a concrete porche where it butted against the house. Again water issues. I always put down ant poison if I start seeing them and they're usually gone in a day or so.

On the good side of carpenter ants, I've been told there favorite food is termites.

 

[Al Smith]

Ants especialy fond of hickory and cherry for some reason.Last spring I split a pretty goodly amount of green sharkbark along with some maple ,about 6 cords in all.Much to my surprise the danged ants were having a picnic on the hickory,never touched the maple.I drowned the pile with Seven dust through a water mixer.No more ants,nor uncles for that matter.

How some ever,last fall I cut up a hundred foot windfall hickory,big un.Some nice logs and perhaps 2 or three cords,like I said large.Because it air dried over the winter,nary an ant,as yet.If so,more seven to the rescue.