Carpenter Ants: Identify, Prepare, and Exterminate

Carpenter ants are the large black ants found near weak, damp wood in basements or other dark rooms. While most of these insects are a deep jet-black color, some have a reddish hue to them. The carpenter ants are usually easy to spot, as they are bigger than most other ants.
The problem with this particular species of ants is that some of the workers can l ive up to seven years, while the queen can last over twenty. This means that the longer they live in the wood and structures, the more damage they can cause.
As far as meals, these ants will usually eat human food. Loose crumbs are your worst enemy, as they are a buffet to colonies of ants. However, even when full, these ants will chew on the wood, deteriorating it from the inside out.
These holes leave the wood broken down, looking a bit like Swiss cheese. This weakens the wood even further, attracting more of these ants. Additionally, you can look for the frass they leave behind, in hopes of their nests.

Image courtesy of- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Holzschaden.jpg

These ants are a tough infestation, that store bought products will not fully rectify. Sprays and traps will only deter ants from that location, not the whole home. These products also do not deter the ants from returning.

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