Carpenter Ants help please

HI JODI, Do not know if this would help,but what we used to do whilst camping off road in ant infested areas we poured a ring of talcom powder around what we did not want them to attack,and it worked just a thought. Otherwise call FLICK good luck .

BILLS

G day Jodi

Check out "www.mabonstimberprotect.com.au"

They have a 1800 number and provide advice in laymans language.
Their Melbourne distributor is a pest control company and are listed on the mabon site.

Good Luck

Peter L

Maybe try some antrid (TM) put some where they walk , they take it back to ther collony and eventually kill the whole nest - may take a while but its better that trying to spray them every day and having the new crop of ant apear a few weeks later from the nest

We get a bulk loads of ants, though I've found they only end up entering the house if I don't take semi-regular precautions from mid-spring and/or food is left about. For a few years I've been using a product called something like "Defense" or "Barrier", can't remember exactly. Green 3 or 4 lt tub, with an attached pump spray nozzle, available at bunnings. Spray it solidly all around the house outside around mid-spring and regularly till autumn seemes to keep them out in my place. First summer I was in where we are the ants just ruled the house, starting December. Once in very hard to keep them out. Try also Antex granuals on the garden beds where they're nesting.

We use an old CSIRO recipe of Borax and sugar (which I think is what "Ant-Rid is), if you want the recipe I will try and find it. (you have to get the proportions right)

Borax from the chemist.
To 3 cups owater add 1 cup sugar, 4 level teaspoons of borax.Stir until all solids are dissolved, then pour onto cotton wool in containers with holes punched in the lids. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN
The ants take the solution back to their nests, wipes them all out. (I hope that I haven't upset any ant fanciers out there in Forum Land!)

Thanks to everybody for your suggestions. We will try the borax solution and if that had not worked by mid Jan then it's some serious pest control bills during the holidays. Ants don't normally bother, they have their place in the whole cycle of things - it's just that we don't like them making tunnels in the timber that holds up our home!

As you live in a semi-rural area, go to a farm supplier, agricultural/horticultural supplier, and get 500ml of termite spray (there's a few different types). Dilute it to the recommended rate. You will have to trace the nest, and flood it with poison. You may have to treat each nest 3 or 4 times. You can probably buy the same stuff the flick man is using, but at a fraction of the price he will charge you. Any rural chemical supplier will be able to advise what is safe to use, and what isn't.

Ants don't like pool chemicals, particularly the algae killing type.

hmm where do i start here?
firstly i would like to express how deeply hurt and angry i am that you could even consider this atrocite towards us poor ants.
firstly im sure you can put up with a few hundred thousand of us for a couple of months when you consider what little we have for the rest of the year.
secondly its now our fault you decided to either build or buy a house out of our favourite food.
do you see us getting the cows/pigs/sheep ect trying to find a way of killing you humans because they are your type of food?NO YOU DONT.
If you dont eat meat how would you cope with a real life attack of the killer tomatoes and when you humans talk about a head of letuce you wouldnt like it if the lettuce was your head! no i didnt think so.
im shocked at the diferent ways you humans come up with ways to get rid of us its just not fair(excuse me while i wipe my ant tears away)
do you think we enjoy just eating away at your wood no infact most of us hate it.
some things you dont know about us is we have no choice now.
we used to be happy munching away on your left overs ect but since king Carpenter Ant Little Johnny changed the ir laws i now have to chew your house because all the normal low life ants work for nothing now eating your left overs.
lets not forget that i have 1254798327458765 children to support each day and my wife is flat out giving birth all the time that any spare time i get i dont really want to be spending watching my back for you humans trying to kill me.
im pleading and begging you to just let me be for a little while longer i dont haave long to live.
so if you and any one else would like to send some money in order to help feed the wife and kids and save us from eating your house could you please send your donation to mr&mrs ant swingers@iprimus.com.au as soon as possible.
and if you dont email this to at least 10 people on your email list some one you know maybe even a neighbour might get there house eaten as well.
all donations tax deductable battaries not included.
cheers and please see it in your heart to support this worthy need you know being christmas and all and you know i wont be getting any crissy left overs(bloody King Carpenter Ant LIttle Johnny)

Good grief ,,,,,,,,,,forget all of the above,,,especially chlorpyrifos.
DO NOT use this stuff unless you are trained to do so. It may not be a carcenogenic, but if you injest or get into the blood stream,,,off to hospital you go.
forget Flick pest control,,,get a local bloke who lives and works in your area to come and have a look before you do anything else. Talk to your neighbors and see if they have/had the same problems, and the solutions used.
Borax is a stopgap measure and the ants will simply go to another part of the house. Bearing in mind that it has been nearly ten years since i last did pest control,,,,,,when i did a house that was infested with carpenter ants,,,,it had to be fully gassed...ie...fully tarped up to seal completely, then gassed. a pain in the backside to do, and not cheap.
hopefully there are better methods available now.
but please,please,please do not use a chemincal unless you are trained to do so.
an O/D of chlorpyrifos causes more pain than the ants ever will.

rick.

Try a product called "regent" that is normally used for Banana beetle. Thats what you need to tell them it is for as any use other than that is frowned upon.
i use it for termites and green ants. The termites get popsticks soaked in a jar with a few drops and the green ants get tomato sauce, 4 drops in a small bottle and then splashed on the tree.
Does the job. be careful and wear safety gear and goggles.
You could also ask about Cislan which i use for spiders etc. Both available at Elders or similar agricultural dealers.