Pests

[ksmith]

Over the last couple of days, I have found 3-4 ants in the house. I don't want ants, especially not these ants. Large. Black. Carpenter ants, from the look of them.

I set out traps. I hope they work. The fact that I'm seeing the ants during this time of year may simply mean that they're out foraging, *not* that I have a secondary nest somewhere in the house. They swarm in the spring when that's the case.

I may need to get a couple of trees trimmed or maybe even removed, and move the leftover winter firewood out of the woodbox to the outside rack. If I still see them after a month or so, I will probably need to call an exterminator, dammit. What worries me a little is that the last time I saw these in the house, it was a sign that there was a rotten place in the roof that needed replacement. But by that time, the roof was already leaking, so I'm hoping it's just a case of a few ants looking for food.

I didn't need this now...

Comments

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. We usually get a few each year. I just set out traps.

3-4 doesn't sound like a nest in your house. IIRC, carpenter ants only nest in wood that has been wet. They need it softened before they chew it.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

That's why I'm worried about the one area of my living room roof/ceiling. For a daisy chain of reasons, it's possible that the area became wet enough. It doesn't leak, but I get condensation there during the summer when I run the A/C. Stupid cathedral ceiling.

I just didn't need this now.

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

I've been seeing similar guys in my apartment, and I'm on the 2nd floor!

I suspect all the rain has been driving them to higher ground.

[bevhale.livejournal.com]

Wash the area with a solution of Vinegar and Water. It messes up their trails and they go away. I had sugar ants and found this worked better than anything else.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

The problem is in my cathedral ceiling, in the fake beam at the peak. I just saw a bunch ants crawling along the beam. It's kind of hard to reach

I think I have a problem. DAMMIT.

[bevhale.livejournal.com]

Then it's time to call in Terminex---they can get rid of the ants and they have to climb the ladder to the cathedral ceiling. But just in case, wipe down walls and windows where you can reach with the Vinegar Water solution and it will keep them from invading the rest of the place.

I just went through this with ants and other beasties. hate bugs. Seriously get really girly about it. I'm ashamed to admit that I even do the icky bug dance with many squeals and much hopping and waving arms about. Sigh.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I have someone coming out tomorrow morning. I did some spraying around the area last night, and got some of them. But one fell on my head as I was sitting on the couch, so. Need to take care of this. Then I have to look into the roof issue.