Need help getting rid of ants

[Hroonk]

So I came home from work today to have my new wife inform me that we have ants! The SOBs are black and about 3/8" long. I can't figure out where they're coming from or what their food source is. They seem to be spotted most often around the interior side of the door between the garage and kitchen as well as in the basement near the cat litter.

I bet I've killed about 3 dozen so far while just trying to find their source. We've placed 6 pet friendly traps around the area, but the SOBs do not seem to be interested in them so far. Oh, and this is also nice, our two cats came with the wife have proved their uselessness by laying on the floor watching ants crawl literally over them.......I blame the ant problem on her cats, but it probably has more to do with the fact we've had our windows open for the last 3 weeks during the day.......

Can anyone offer any guidance on ridding the house of these things???? They really don't seem to be congragating around and food (pet food, pantry, etc

[Glenn W]

So I came home from work today to have my new wife inform me that we have ants! The SOBs are black and about 3/8" long. I can't figure out where they're coming from or what their food source is. They seem to be spotted most often around the interior side of the door between the garage and kitchen as well as in the basement near the cat litter.

I bet I've killed about 3 dozen so far while just trying to find their source. We've placed 6 pet friendly traps around the area, but the SOBs do not seem to be interested in them so far. Oh, and this is also nice, our two cats came with the wife have proved their uselessness by laying on the floor watching ants crawl literally over them.......I blame the ant problem on her cats, but it probably has more to do with the fact we've had our windows open for the last 3 weeks during the day.......

Can anyone offer any guidance on ridding the house of these things???? They really don't seem to be congragating around and food (pet food, pantry, etc

Let's see--- lots of ways to get rid of these pesky critters---- you can wire their tails together and throw them over a clothes or power line---- then there's always asking the neighbor to borrow his Pit Bull, turn em all loose in the basement and take the lady out shopping and to dinner for a few hours----- If you ain't into excitement there's always the Anti-freeze soaked tuna----


If the ants are bothering you--- good ole Raid and some Sevin Dust sprinkled against the walls and window ledges ought to do it..

[joeksr]

Big black ants might be carpenter ants.

If you have a basement under the wall check for what looks like little sawdust piles if the area under the wall is open.
If they are carpenter ants you need a bait specific for them.
You want something they take home to kill the queen.
They dont eat wood just chew thru it to make nests.

If they are in the wall and you can't get rid of them an exterminator can pump gas into the wall.

I dont have much faith in commercial over the counter remedies for them. Tried a lot of them with little or no success.

Good luck.

[megabite]

Get some TERRO its a gel that ants line up to eat it poisens the Queen then its over.

[barryd]

Another vote for TERRO

[hunt4fish]

Probably carpenter ants,you need to locate where they are entering the house,and might need to remove some siding and locate nest,and give them a good dose of what was mentioned above.I love 7 dust!!

[Hroonk]

Let's see--- lots of ways to get rid of these pesky critters---- you can wire their tails together and throw them over a clothes or power line---- then there's always asking the neighbor to borrow his Pit Bull, turn em all loose in the basement and take the lady out shopping and to dinner for a few hours----- If you ain't into excitement there's always the Anti-freeze soaked tuna----


If the ants are bothering you--- good ole Raid and some Sevin Dust sprinkled against the walls and window ledges ought to do it..

Oh man, Glen that's funny!

I've been doing some online looking...confirmed carpenter ants and they look like a challenge to get rid of....I'm stepping up the program to terro liquid bait and a perimeter defense as well as locating the colony tonight....I still feel like they're crawling on me!

[Beatsworkin']

Carpenter Ants, they use wet or damp wood to get a nest started. They are usually above ground level.
Make sure your gutters are not holding water, also check the AC water runoff, it could be causing damp conditions.
A window AC unit that drains onto a wall or window sill or even to the ground can cause enough dampness to get things started.
Getting rid of them>> Remove the dampness> tear out all wet wood> apply the best killing agent to area> replace wood
and related roof or siding.
Best of luck

[brokensheer]

I too had them at the castlebogroovey I got a gel from a professional it seems to have worked, he said to put down a pencil eraser slize blob and they will eat it carry it back to the ant crib and f- up the whole gang,, I chose to put down 2" masking tape rather then put it directly on my counter top!

[Hroonk]

Update:

The ants have been found out. I put the Terro out in place of a few wussy, pet friendly traps. The ants were lined up for the Terro! I watched them eat for a while and then intensely followed them.

My observations:

1) Ants are not fast...it was like watching a bunch of women window shop - no direct line back to the colony.

2) Ants were more interested in the bottle of Resolve carpet cleaner than our pet food, trash or food in the pantry - that makes me question our food selection.

3) The carpenter ants were brought into my home by my own inability to turn down free duck decoys. A friend of mine moved and had nowhere to store his rig, so he gave everything to me.....2 doz duck decoys, couple dozen goose blocks, 20 goose Vboards and one colony of carpenter ants.

Rather than move my free treasure and disturb the nest, I placed several Terro traps at their front door.......with-in 30 minutes, they were SWIMMING in the deep end of the liquid trap while their brethren weighting in the deli line weighting their numbers to be called. Hopefully Queeny has eaten her fill of liquid death and is suffering from a severe tummy ache right now.

Thanks for all the suggestions, TERRO is the heat.

PS, my apologies to the cats..........this time.