Carpenter Ants Question

[mamayogibear]

Hello,

The house I have been renting for almost a year now and can't wait for my lease to end is infested with Carpenter Ants. The landlord has had professional exterminators spray three times in the past year but that does not get rid of them. These little buggers crawl out of every crevase and crack in the walls and since it's an old house there are tons of them. I have tried home remedies like feeding them cornmeal, vinegar and cedar oil but nothing keeps them away for more than a few hours or if I'm luck a whole day. This is a really old house and I'm pretty sure they have totally colonized the walls or something.

So my question is will the ants stay contained in the house when I move? I don't know much about insects despite my love for all animals. I just don't want to transplant these little bugs to my next house. Are they like fleas and lay eggs everywhere? Do I need to decontaminate all the bedding and stuffed animals at the laundromat so they don't hitch a  ride with us to a new town? Like I am seriously worried about this, I can't wait to escape the ants here but have nightmares that they follow me to my new home!

Thanks for any advice!

[mumkimum]

I don't think carpenter ants tend to relocate with people/objects.  They have their nest and lay their eggs there, etc and venture out for food.  I'd inspect any wood furniture the most, I believe.  But I think they're more interested in wood that's already older and decaying, so your furniture is likely not to have any problems either.  (Wouldn't hurt to call a pest control company for tips though).

We have had good luck with diatomaceous earth for carpenter ants (but with much minor issues with them than you're talking about - we dusted the perimeter of any rooms they bothered or outdoor areas.  It did end up cutting back or eliminating them in problem areas.)

[mamayogibear]

Okay that's good to know. I'm pretty sure they have been at this house long before I showed up and am glad to know they will stay once I leave! I have a few pieces of wooden furniture and a very nice wooden drum. I freaked out when I found ants on the drum and keep it away from walls now so that the ants will be less likely to get in it. Thanks for the info.

[jokcoen]

Yeah, carpenter ants make their colonies within structures or dirt, they don't just lay eggs to hatch around everywhere. You need a queen ant to be transplanted in order for a colony to move, and the chance that you accidentally transport the queen is minutely small. Read some more about pest control so that you will know some other methods. Diatomaceous earth is a great suggestion, but I would also try some citronella oil or cayenne peppers around high traffic areas.

[mattemma04]

They won't move on with you.You could buy some bait that they will eat and feed to the queen.