How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ant Colonies

Carpenter Ants can be very destructive to your home and property. In order to get rid of Carpenter Ants the colony must be wiped out and the queen must be killed. A Carpenter Ant queen can live for up to 15 years and produce hundreds of thousands of babies in her lifetime. When the Carpenter Ant colony gets too big they start to branch out into smaller colonies, but they still only have one queen. There are a few things you can do to get rid of carpenter Ants and their colonies.

Instructions

1. Cut bushes, trees, hedges and any other wood type plants away from your house, shed or garden structure where Carpenter Ants are doing damage.

2. Move firewood and scrap wood away from the areas Carpenter Ants are damaging.

3. Fix all water leaks. Water leaks attract Carpenter Ants. Water leaks will promote wood rot and soften wood so Carpenter Ants can easily begin gnawing on it.

4. Mix jelly or jam with boric acid and leave around the areas you have seen Carpenter Ants. The worker ants will bring the poison back to the queen and kill her. Use care around pets and children.

5. Mix 1 cup of salt, ¼ cup of dish washing detergent and 1 ounce of peppermint oil into 1 gallon of boiling water and pour the mixture slowly and carefully into the hole for the Carpenter Ant colony. Repeat for each hole you see. It is best to watch Carpenter Ants for a day or two to see where they have established colonies so you don't miss any.