Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Drown Carpenter Ants
How to Drown Carpenter Ants. When the weather starts getting warm, you know it's time to start looking for ants. Carpenter ants in particular like to nest in damp, rotting wood and can be quite destructive. Different substances attract different types of ants, so getting rid of carpenter ants is a matter of knowing what attracts them. After...
When the weather starts getting warm, you know it's time to start looking for ants. Carpenter ants in particular like to nest in damp, rotting wood and can be quite destructive. Different substances attract different types of ants, so getting rid of carpenter ants is a matter of knowing what attracts them. After attracting them, you'll need to follow them to find their nest in order to get rid of them completely. Drowning them with a liquid insecticide will do the trick.
Things You'll Need
Honey
Flashlight
Red cellophane
Rubberband
Liquid insecticide
Chemical sprayer
Dab some honey on the floor in various locations throughout your home between sunset and midnight. Wait for ants to come and take the honey back to the nest for the other workers to eat.
Place red cellophane over the lighted end of a flashlight. Secure the cellophane with a rubberband.
Use this flashlight to follow ants back to the nest, since ants cannot see red light. Track the ants until they enter a hole in the wall or an exposed area of damaged or rotting wood, such as a woodpile.
Pour the liquid insecticide into a chemical sprayer if the nest is not exposed. Spray the liquid insecticide into the opening to coat and suffocate the ants. Repeat the process with any other spots where you find ants, since ants tend to build several nests in one location. Pour the bottle of insecticide itself into the anthill entrance if your ants lead you to an anthill.
Remove any damp or rotted wood from your home after the ants are killed. Keep firewood far from the house, and keep it covered and dry so that ants are not attracted. Hire a contractor to assess damage and fix the walls if ants have been nesting in damaged paneling or beams.
Tips & Warnings
Bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, or permethrin can all be used as liquid ant killers.
If the ants do not disappear, you probably have a large infestation on your hands. You will probably need to call a professional exterminator.
Ventilate areas that have been sprayed with ant killer, as the chemicals can be toxic. Wash hands after any contact with ant killer.
