How to Kill Wood Ants
Wood ants are almost always carpenter ants. Large, black and numerous, they live in rotted stumps, hollow porch columns, in the baseboards in your home, or in your walls. They prefer wet wood, so they'll stay near a water source, such as the wall behind your dishwasher.
Termites also chew on wood, but they are less common. Carpenter ants leave "sawdust" behind when they create their hollow nests; termites leave a mud-like trail.
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Instructions
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Lure the ants out of their home. Place tiny drops of diluted honey on the sticky side of masking tape. Leave it out in the open, then watch for ants. Usually at night, the ants will come out to get the honey.
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Find the nests. The only effective way of killing wood ants is to locate their nest and poison them. To locate a nest, you must follow a carpenter ant until he goes back to his nest. Once the ant has a taste of honey, he'll probably go back to his nest.
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Poison the nest. The ant will be nesting either inside or outside your home. If the nest is inside, drill a few tiny holes (1/8-inch bit) at the nest site. Then, place some boric acid inside the holes. It will trickle down and kill the ants. If the nest is outside, drench it thoroughly with an insecticide.
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Watch for more ants. Unfortunately, carpenter ants often have several nests. In fact, most groups have one main nest and several satellite nests. You'll have to find them all to completely rid the area of the ants.
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Call a professional. Chances are, it will be difficult to find all of the nests.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not use poison or insecticide if children or pets can access it. Or, remove your pets and any children from the area before using.
Resources
- Photo Credit www.citybugs.tamu.edu
