When it comes to getting control over the carpenter ant colony, the most important thing you must do is find the nest(s). And, this can be extremely difficult to do. However, once the nest has been identified, controlling them is relatively simple. It’s not unheard of to have more than one carpenter ant colony within a structure, which is why an in-depth inspection needs to be carried out. There are four key steps to ridding a home of a carpenter ant infestation:

• Family interview
• Indoor inspection
• Outdoor inspection
• Sound detection

1 – Family Interview

The people living inside the home know where they have seen the ants and where the greatest concentration of them has been seen. They also know what the moisture content is within the home, the ants’ movement patterns, if they’ve seen swarmers, population outdoors and sawdust-like material locations.

2 – Indoor Inspection

Nests are found in both dry and moist wood, although they thrive better in a damp environment with a 15 percent or higher moisture content. A content level this high is usually the result of leaks, rain and condensation, to name a few. Structural timber can have a moisture level of 12 percent to 15 percent.

A moisture meter can identify where the wet spots and find potential nest locations. Inspections should be carried out around the bathroom tiles, tubs, sinks, showers, washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerator drip pans and any other place where water may be. Be sure to look closely at wood that has come in contact with moisture including but certainly not limited to:

• Attics
• Chimney flashing
• Columns
• Crawl spaces
• Steps
• Pipes
• Porch supports

It’s not unheard of for nests to be found in a dry environment like curtain rods, false beans, attic insulation and hollow veneer doors.  Be on the lookout for:

• Spider webs that have swarmers caught in them
• Damaged timbers
• Wood debris that gives off an appearance of pencil sharpener shavings

Use a hammer to gently tap the floor joists. If you get a hollow ring, it’s possible there is a nest. If the wood has been compromised, a blade of a knife will pierce the wood.

Using Bait to Find Carpenter Ant Nests

Some people use small sugar piles around kitchens, bathrooms and other rooms to locate a nest. However, some folks will use corn syrup or honey on masking tape to draw these ants out. Do this at night to watch the direction the ants are going to find the nest.

Using Flushing Agents to Find Carpenter Ant Nests

Apply household aerosol spray that contains the ingredients piperonyl butoxide and pyrethrins into holes, cracks and crevices to make the ants excited. These sprays will cause the ants to run out, many times revealing the location of their nest.

3 – Outdoor Inspection

To find the carpenter ants outdoors, look at a stump or tree. They can be found on logs, firewood, fences, vines that touch roofs, telephone and electrical wires and more. Carpenter ants may cause entrance knot holes in living trees. Workers tend to be more active during the overnight hours, going to a food source from their nest.  Keep in mind that while there are trails, they don’t always go back to their nest.

4 – Sound Detection

Another way to find carpenter ant nest is to listen out for them. An active carpenter ant colony will make a dry rustling sound, which is similar to cellophane crinkling. When standing in a quiet room, you can hear them working.

You can also use a stethoscope to listen out for them. Keep in mind that the outside noises should be minimal and the noise inside the home is next to non-existent. Animals – cats especially – can hear the carpenter ants making noise with their jaws because they’re communicating with each other. This is especially true if the colony has been disturbed.