Termites and Carpenter Ants

[avendesora]

My house has had termites, and the previous owners of the house got Terminix. We maintained the Terminix contract while figuring out what else we can do.

We do not currently have evidence of termites, but I want to be careful that they don't come back.

Meanwhile, I have a new problem - carpenter ants. Ugh. My house is being eaten!

I generally have a 'live and let live' bug policy, but when they're eating my house I am suddenly feeling very different about it!

I've tried cinnamon, planting mint plants, orange oil, and so far the carpenter ants are still around. Part of the problem is that I can't tell where they're coming into the house. I'll see one in the living room, and then one in the bedroom - they're not obviously coming in any one place.

So. Is there a poison that will kill the colony (spraying the perimeter isn't enough, seeing as that they're already inside my walls) that will not harm my family? I have two toddlers and am pregnant, and am feeling concerned about toxins to ourselves. And any suggestions for termite prevention?

Thanks,
Aven

[Naturalyst]

You are going to have to find the nest(s). Otherwise, any measures you take will only work temporarily. Here's a site that tells a lot about the ants and how to control them: http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef603.asp. We treated the lawn with commercial product and used boric acid along all our baseboards ... but, the real cure came when we found the nest in a wood garden border. Good luck.

[mightymoo]

Just because they are inside your house doesn't mean they have a nest inside your house. Every spring they start treking into my house and I've had the professionals examine it and never found a nest. However, we have stumps outside that were nests and they were making their way in from there. I would find them upstairs too, which freaked me out, but they must have been making their way in through the attic I guess.

Boiling water on a nest can do quite a bit of damage, but I'd imagine if you really want to keep them at bay you'd have to be perisistent at it. When I realized the big stump right by my house was a nest I did that - I drilled holes int eh top and poured boiling water on it. Took hours because I could only boil so much water at a time. However, boiling water definitely kills them and they were bringing the larvae out, so I imagine it hit home pretty well. We ended up having a pest control service spray the stump anyway.

[AEZMama]

Try an equal mix of sugar and baking soda blended and spread around the perimeter of your house and every opening-doors & windows, etc.

If that doesn't work, boric acid definitely will.