Holy cr** they're carpenter ants!

[mumkimum]

Was just moseying around MDC, read one of the ant threads & decided to look up more about the 'ants' we've been seeing around and now I am horrified (& unable to do anything with the napping baby on me) to realize that what we have been seeing are carpenter ants all over the kitchen floor instead of regular ants! Yikes! And really, I mean I walk in there and *poof* they're all over the kitchen floor out of nowhere. It hadn't been freaking me out, just annoying the heck out of me so far.

We'd been using diatomaceoous earth around everywhere & killing them (its all winged ones) with a citrus soap but should I really be doing much more?? And though I am terrified of having 'someone come out and take care of it' I am feeling the pressure (& know dh will want to) to have that done. Do I need to feel that way? I mean, we've got a movin' around baby here & the last thing I want is poison spray all over the house, ya know?

[cilantromapuche]

You need to find out where they are coming in. There should be one central spot where it is happening. WE had to remove a pile of logs near the house because that was where they were living. Make sure you don't have any logs. It could be that you have a leak and they are attracted to the moisture in the wood in your kitchen?
I would just have someone treat it.

[mossimo12]

We had ants living in our (rotting) porch last year. I replaced one really rotted board last year and haven't seen them (yet) this year. I would also love any ideas to get rid of them. My husband is not interested in calling and paying anyone to come out and put pestisides all around, but also doen't think it is a problem enough to do anything about it. :

Sarah