How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are one of the more destructive pests you can encounter, since they don’t just invade homes for food—they tunnel into wood to build their nests, which can compromise the structure of your property. Getting rid of them requires a combination of locating the nest, eliminating the colony, and preventing future infestations. Here’s a step by step guide to getting rid of carpenter ants:
Identify the Problem Correctly
Carpenter ants are larger than most other ants (¼–½ inch long) and often black or reddish-black.
Look for piles of “frass” (wood shavings mixed with insect parts) near baseboards, windows, or wood beams—this indicates tunneling activity.
You may also hear faint rustling in walls at night when the colony is active.
Find and Eliminate the Nest
Primary Nest vs. Satellite Nest: The main colony, where the queen is located, is usually outdoors in moist, decayed wood, while satellite nests can be virtually anywhere, including inside walls, attics, crawlspaces, or hollow doors.
Use a flashlight to follow foraging ants back to where they’re entering—this may lead you to the nest.
Direct Treatment Options
Boric acid dust or diatomaceous earth can be applied directly into voids, cracks, or suspected nesting sites.
Carpenter ant insecticidal dusts or foams (professional-grade products work best) can penetrate galleries inside walls.
Use Baits Effectively
Carpenter ants forage for protein and sweets, so place ant baits (gel, liquid, or granular) along their trails.
Avoid spraying over bait trails—sprays kill workers too quickly and prevent them from carrying poison back to the colony.
Be patient: baiting can take weeks to wipe out the entire nest.
Correct The Conditions That Attract Them
Remove rotting or water-damaged wood, since carpenter ants prefer softened timber.
Fix leaks around plumbing, windows, and roofs to reduce moisture.
Trim back trees and shrubs that touch the home, as these act as ant highways.
Seal cracks, gaps, and openings around the foundation, siding, and rooflines.
Professional Help
Carpenter ant colonies can number in the thousands, and if the nest is hidden deep within your walls, DIY methods may not fully eliminate them. Our professional pest control technicians can:
Locate hidden carpenter ant nests.
Apply professional-grade baits, dusts, and non-repellent sprays to wipe out colonies at their source.
Provide ongoing monitoring to prevent reinfestation.
The best way to get rid of carpenter ants is to locate the nest, use slow-acting baits and dust treatments, eliminate moisture problems, and seal entry points. If you can’t find the nest—or if you’re dealing with recurring infestations— our professional treatments are the most effective long-term solution.
The Best Way To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants
Our professional pest control is the best way to get rid of carpenter ants because these ants are exceptionally difficult to locate, eliminate, and prevent without expert training, specialized tools, and proven treatment methods. Carpenter ants don’t eat wood like termites do—they excavate it to create nesting galleries. This means their primary nest is often hidden deep inside wall voids, attics, crawl spaces, or even outdoor trees, while satellite colonies spread throughout the structure. As a result, DIY sprays or baits typically only kill the visible foragers, leaving the parent colony intact and allowing the infestation to persist or return.
Here’s why our professional pest control provides the most effective, long-term solution:
Expert Identification and Inspection: Our professionals can accurately identify carpenter ants and differentiate them from other ant species that require different treatments. We know how to trace foraging trails, frass deposits (wood shavings), and moisture conditions to locate hidden nests both indoors and outdoors.
Targeted Treatment Strategies: Our pest control experts use non-repellent insecticides, baits, and dust formulations specifically designed for carpenter ants. These professional-grade products reach deep into colonies, ensuring the entire nest—including the queen—is eliminated.
Comprehensive Colony Elimination: Rather than treating just the surface or entry points, our professionals target both the parent and satellite colonies, preventing re-infestation and achieving total eradication.
Advanced Equipment and Technology: We use advanced methods to detect and treat infestations where DIY methods can’t reach.
Prevention and Long-Term Protection: Our professional services don’t stop at elimination—we include recommendations and treatments to seal entry points, reduce wood-to-soil contact, and control the moisture issues that attracted carpenter ants in the first place.
Safety and Environmental Considerations: Our licensed professionals use EPA-approved products applied safely and precisely, minimizing risks to humans, pets, and the environment while maximizing effectiveness.
Guaranteed Results and Follow-Up: We provide warranties and maintenance plans that ensure carpenter ants won’t return, giving homeowners peace of mind and protecting their property investment.
Our professional pest control combines scientific expertise, precision tools, and comprehensive strategies that DIY efforts simply can’t match. It’s the most reliable way to eliminate carpenter ants completely and safeguard your home from future damage.
Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants With Miche Pest Control
Hiring our team of professionals at Miche Pest Control is an investment in long-term protection, expertise, and peace of mind. Here’s why:
- Personalized Service and Local Expertise: We know the specific pest pressures in the area—such as seasonal rodent activity, regional ant species, or local termite threats. Our technicians understand the environment, climate, and building types common to the area, allowing them to provide targeted, effective treatments.
- High-Quality, Comprehensive Solutions: As a full-service provider, we doe’t just treat surface problems; we address the root causes. From inspections and prevention to exclusion and ongoing maintenance, we deliver complete, integrated pest management (IPM) programs designed to both eliminate infestations and prevent future ones.
- Accountability and Reliability: We live and die by our reputation. We rely on trust, referrals, and repeat business, meaning we're committed to doing the job right the first time and providing exceptional customer care.
- Faster Response Times: We respond quickly to emergencies and schedule services sooner than large, national chains. Especially when you’re dealing with urgent pest issues like rodents or wasps, that speed matters.
- Customized Treatment Plans: We tailor our services to your property’s specific needs instead of using one-size-fits-all chemical treatments. This results in safer, more effective pest control that minimizes environmental impact and reduces unnecessary pesticide use.
- Highly Trained, Experienced Technicians: We invest in training, certification, and continuing education for our technicians. We stay current on the latest pest biology, control techniques, and safety standards.
- Long-Term Prevention and Value: Our focus on providing quality service means fewer callbacks, longer-lasting protection, and better value over time. Instead of repeated, temporary fixes, you get strategic solutions that protect your home or business for the long run and provide better peace of mind.
Hiring our team means you get expertise you can trust, faster service, safer and more effective treatments, and long-term results that protect both your property and your peace of mind. Contact us today!