killing carpenter ants

[myxpykalix]

I could google this but i'd rather hear how any of you have dealt with killing carpenter ants infested in wood or in a stack of wood or a log? There is some rot on these logs but there is also a lot of pretty stuff and in this next log it's 10 foot long and 34" wide the entire length.

I don't want to get this close to my other wood for fear of infestation. I did spray the boards down with ant spray and covered. But the next log i will be taking straight to the kiln. Is there an issue with infesting the kiln?

What would be good if there is some kind of "fogger" i could set off after we load it into the kiln and close the kiln up since it's ait tight. Is there a reason i shouldn't do this? (before i start the drying process).
Will the cold kill them? (my guess is no...)

[Brian Harnett]

How hot goes the kiln get if its 140 they will be killed. For getting rid of them around the house I use two teaspoons of boric acid powder in a cup of sugar in a week or two they are done. It does not kill them right away so they feed the queen and the whole nest gets wiped out.

If put small amounts of the mix all over in jar lids.

[paul_z]

I agree with Brian. Boric acid is fatal to ants and such but is not that toxic to humans. It's also very inexpensive.

Paul Z

[Burkhardt]

Come on Jack, keep in mind the carpeter ants are in the same wood working business. You are going to kill your colleages ..... :eek:

[myxpykalix]

I guess that puts a new spin on "eliminating the competition" of course on the other hand the bible does say:
"Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe its ways and be wise..."

[scottp55]

Jack, One thing I found out totally by accident, is that Carpenter Ants HATE!!! Tea Tree Oil(100% available at most drug stores in the first aid section). No idea why, but a few drops in the greenhouse/bathroom/garage and for the next 1-2 years you quite simply won't see them. Had a nest in a pile of maple I cleared for house to be built and they fell over themselves trying to get away and didn't see any for 2 years(and that was outside).
I had boric/sugar soaked cotton balls out in several of the rooms 1 year, and that first day a friend showed up for a visit and took a shampoo with Tea Tree Oil in it. Activity at the other traps was high---Master Bath ZIP,ZERO,ZED! Took me awhile to figure out why.:)

[khaos]

Great info. I wonder if other ants are T tree oil averse.

[myxpykalix]

Tea Tree Oil? I'll go check that out. Funny how you find things out by accident:D
When cutting these logs on one of them they just came pouring out and i didn't want to transport them to my woodpile or to the kiln.

thanks

[scottp55]

Jack, Just been reading up(first time I've even looked), Oil doesn't kill them,they just hate the smell and it disrupts the scent trail the worker need. It just makes them go elsewhere.
For nest, definitely use boric acid and either a "sweet" trap, or a "protein" trap.
I do have someone spread granules(new ones aren't as effective as the old Diazanon ones--but still good) once a year around foundation to keep them out of the walls.
Read a lot about different ways of applying, but I'll stick with 3-4 drops full strength wherever I see them as it's been working for me for 15 yrs.
For fumigators, forget the aerosol ones and try to find the blue Raid ones you add water to (3 pack--Rite-aid). MUCH better dispersal.

[pappybaynes]

diatomaceous earth - make sure it's food grade...
(often referred to as "DE") is an off white talc-like powder that is the fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton. When sprinkled on a bug that has an exoskeleton (such as bed bugs, ants or fleas) it compromises their waxy coating so that their innards turn into teeny tiny bug jerky. But it doesn't hurt mammals. We can eat it. We do eat it! It's in lots of grain based foods because lots of grains are stored with diatomaceous earth to keep the bugs from eating the grain!

We put this under / around and on our firewood...have used it around my stickered lumber...great around the house for getting rid of ticks too...

[myxpykalix]

diatomaceous earth - make sure it's food grade...(often referred to as "DE")
Is that what it's called?(diatomaceous earth) I'll go down to our nursery/garden supply and ask for that.thanks

btw i also saw some dead termites on the bark!:eek:

[Burkhardt]

The garden center may have it but for such stuff the Internet is sometimes easier, e.g.
here (http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Wisdom-Grade-Diatomaceous-Earth/dp/B003RDKKV6)

I used it to dust the basement crawl space with a handheld gravity feed sandblaster gun. Just make sure to wear a respirator or at least a dust mask.

[myxpykalix]

thanks for that link:D

[pappybaynes]

I forgot to mention that the best deals are on the internet...we use DE around the foundation along with spent coffee grounds and spray liquid garlic (smells like prince spaghetti day - the smell will dissipate in a day or so) for tics and ants...we have about an acre fenced in for the dogs with lots of trees and we do not experience any tics on the dogs or ants in the house - use to be a real problem...