Carpenter Ant Control

The first step in carpenter ant control is a thorough inspection in and around the structure. You'll want us to inspect all areas that conducive to carpenter ants from the ground level to the roof. Carpenter ants are most active at night. Sometimes an evening is necessary to locate a difficult carpenter ant problem. Key to eliminating carpenter ants is locating the colony. This often difficult as the carpenter ants usually locate their nest wall or ceiling voids where it is hard to get at.

Also where carpenter ants trail into a building is not always where the main colony is located. Carpenter ants sometimes form satellite colonies where they enter and exit a structure. Satellite colonies are in between the main colony and food locations or swarming locations. The ants may enter at a location and then climb through walls and rafters to where the nest is really located. After the nest or entrance ways have been determined the wall or ceiling void may be drilled and treated to eliminate the entire colony.


Common Name: Ant - Thief ant
Latin Name: Solenopsis molesta
Common Family Name: Ants
Latin Family Name: Formicidae

Other Names: Piss ant, grease ant

Origin: Not mentioned in literature, but this species is found throughout the United States as a common, indoor ant pest.

Biology: This is a double-node ant, but is far too small to sting. Its name is derived due to its ability to enter the nests of other ants and steal and feed on the larvae of these other species. The small size of the Thief Ant allows it to move undetected. They feed on carbohydrate such as honeydew or sugary foods, but are particularly fond of oils and meat, even being found feeding on dead carcasses. A colony may have only a few hundred workers but many queens, and nests both indoors and outdoors can be located in very small cavities, under debris or objects on the soil, behind wall paneling or loose floor molding, and within wall voids or cabinets.

Identification: This tiny ant is less than 1.5 mm long and is such a light orange color that it may be difficult to spot in an inspection. It has no spines on the thorax and has antennae composed of 10 segments. It is easily confused with the Pharaoh Ant in size and color, but may be distinguished by the club at the end of the antenna, which is composed of only 2 enlarged segments. On the Pharaoh Ant this club is made up of 3 enlarged segments, and at least 30X magnification may be necessary to see this character with certainty.

Characteristics Important in Control: Control of these ants includes correction of the attractions that drew them to a property, including harborage sites, food sources, and moisture conditions. Elimination of insects that provide protein or honeydew sources reduces ant foraging in an area, very important for this species, and cleanup of unnecessary debris or objects on the soil that provide harborage eliminates nesting. Ant bait products in liquid or gel formulations can be highly effective, and protein formulations may be preferred. Location of the nest sites is important, and when found can be treated directly with a residual dust insecticide.

Common Name: Ant - Crazy ant
Latin Name: Paratrechina longicornis
Common Family Name: Ants
Latin Family Name: Formicidae

Other Names:

Origin: Believed to be native to India, but now found throughout the world. It is most common in the U.S. from Florida to Texas along the Gulf Coast, but also occurs in other states from California to New York, as well as in Hawaii.

Biology: This is a single-node ant whose common name comes from their habit of running around erratically, with no apparent purpose. Their extremely long legs and antennae tend to accentuate this behavior. Nests may be established in a wide variety of situations, from wet to dry habitats, in the soil under other objects, in tree holes, under mulch, in potted plant soils, or in other odd cavities they find. Within structures they nest in wall voids or under objects that are not moved for a period of time. Their foods range from proteins to sugars, and they will tend aphids for honeydew. They also are excellent predators, feeding on the larvae or adults of many other insects, including fleas, flies, and fire ant swarmers. The colony of the Crazy Ant may have numerous queens, and new colonies are often established by budding. Colonies commonly contain only 1000 to 2000 workers, but may have up to 40 queens. This is a monomorphic species where all the workers are the same size.

Identification: Workers are small, and dark brown to black. There is a single node and the legs and antennae are extremely long in relation to the rest of the body. The antennae have 12 segments, no club at the end, and the long basal segment is nearly twice the length of the head. There is a small circle of hairs surrounding the anal opening.

Characteristics Important in Control: Control of most ants includes correction of the attractions that drew them to a property, including harborage sites, food sources, and moisture conditions. Elimination of insects that provide protein or honeydew sources reduces ant foraging in an area, and cleanup of unnecessary debris or objects on the soil that provide harborage eliminates nesting. Application of residual dust insecticides into structural voids and application of a residual insecticide spray along foundation perimeters will help to kill trailing ants. Ant bait products in granular, liquid, or gel formulations can be highly effective if the ants accept the bait. If the ant colony can be found it can be treated directly with a dust or liquid insecticide.


Common Name: Ant - Southern fire ant
Latin Name: Solenopsis xyloni
Common Family Name: Ants
Latin Family Name: Formicidae

Other Names: California fire ant

Origin: Native to the southwestern United States, and found in California and Arizona.

Biology: This fire ant is not nearly the pest and health problem of the Red Imported Fire Ant, but as a double node ant it still can sting aggressively. Nesting and activity are generally confined to the outdoors, but foraging or nesting within a structure does occur on occasion. Nests are commonly located under objects or debris on the soil as well as under slabs. Foods consist of a wide variety of protein and carbohydrate materials, including honeydew, fruit and vegetables, other insects, greases, and grains.

Identification: This species is identified by its red head and thorax and red/black abdomen. Long bristly hairs are found over the thorax and abdomen and no spines are on the thorax. The antenna is composed of 10 segments with a 2-segmented club at the end. The Southern Fire Ant may be separated from other fire ant species by the lack of a dark patch on the “forehead” area and no downward-projecting spine on the clypeus between the jaws. In addition, on the front of the two nodes on the waist there is a short spine at the front of the lower surface, and this does not occur on the Red Imported Fire Ant. This is a highly polymorphic species, with various sizes of workers within a single colony.

Characteristics Important in Control: Baiting is a preferred method of control, and baits with an oil attractant appear most acceptable. Mound injection with dust or liquid insecticide can be effective, but may not penetrate throughout the colony. Physical disturbance and flooding of the mounds do not work. Elimination of unnecessary moisture sources will reduce the attraction of an area for these ants, as well as elimination of food sources and other insects.

For your convenience and immediate attention, call 480.266.5159