Natural Carpenter Ant Control

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Wood Duck

Wood Duck

Minister of Fire
Feb 26, 2009
4,790
Central PA
Yesterday I cut up part of a Black Locust that had a pretty large Colony of Carpenter Ants living inside. To try to prevent the ants from moving into my wood piles, I split the infested parts pretty small, and scattered them around the lawn, hoping the ants would get lost. This morning, a Pileated Woodpecker - the really large, crow-sized woodpecker that makes large, oval holes in trees looking for Carpenter Ants - was down at the woodpile picking at the chopping block and some of the scattered splits. I know the chopping block was covered in dead Carpenter Ants, and I hope he got a bunch of the live ones, too. I don't have Wild Turkeys in the yard, but maybe the woodpecker will do the job.
 
I have had very similar results. When I cut into a log full of carp ants, I split it up small and leave the splits in the woods where I cut them (usually toss them on the side of the trail so I can find them easy later) its usually 30 minutes or so after I am done and you'll see all kinds of different birds cleaning up the ants I have exposed.
 
I have 5 yard hens that love to eat bugs including these ants. Those same yard hens prevent me from spreading the standard flaxy dry pesticides, I would have to mix up and apply a liquid. I still have some stashed away diazanon that is extremely effective but I only use that when I see the ants going into the house.
 
I have a couple of Carolina wrens that know when I am splitting wood. They hear me start with the maul and fly on over. After I am done on a round filled with ants, they are all over it and will venture to the woodpiles to pick through those pieces too. I rarely get ants in my wood piles any longer.
 
I've found just getting the wood off the ground about 8" and letting it dry out seems to take care the bugs.
 
I have carpenter ants everywhere around the house I bought, including a couple of the basement window sills. I know this is going to sound crazy, but Boraxo-yes the soap powder-mixed 50/50 with sugar and spooned about every three feet around the foundation has managed to kill LOTS of ants and practically eliminated their activity. I still have some sill wood to replace. They are attracted to teh sugar and someting in the soap kills them. Its kind of like a science experiment that you have to see to believe. I am now a believer.
Jim
 
They will pick up the Borax even without the sugar. Maybe the sugar speeds up the pace, dunno. They take the stuff back to their nest and bingo, no more ants.
 
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