Purdue News
Purdue News
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April 7, 2000 Carpenter ants make a life out of bugging homeownersWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – An unwanted guest is on its way to homes across Indiana. Unlike the relative who overstays his welcome and eventually gets the hint, however, the carpenter ant has no intention of leaving. Carpenter ants awaken from their winter hibernation each spring and begin their annual search for food and shelter. Often, the best eats and lodging are found under roof. Purdue University entomology professor Gary Bennett and former Purdue research scientist Daniel Suiter said stopping the large, black ants from trudging through the house usually requires the services of a pest control professional. But homeowners can take steps themselves to slow the critters' progress, they said. Bennett said homeowners can cut down on ant infestation by storing food properly, sealing cracks and other holes where insects can come into the home, and trimming tree limbs away from the roof. Store-bought insecticides should be applied every week or two, especially if sprayed outside where sunlight, humidity and rain can break down the chemicals quickly, he said. "Sanitation is important, too," Bennett said. "That means you need garbage cans with tight lids, or use a garbage bag with a drawstring. It doesn't take much to feed a carpenter ant. They can live on just crumbs." Carpenter ants are among the larger ant species. The insects can grow from an eighth-inch to half-inch long. They are nocturnal creatures that travel from dusk to midevening. The first carpenter ant sightings typically occur in April, but Bennett said he spotted the ants in his home in March this year. "That's about as early as I've seen them," he said. "The warm temperatures we had in late winter may have brought them back out." Carpenter ants are industrious creatures. They set up colonies in rotting trees, fence posts and firewood by chewing away at the deteriorating wood – thus, the name carpenter ant. Once a primary colony is established, the queen ant lays eggs, and worker ants are sent out to hunt for food. Their journeys often lead worker ants into nearby homes, where they can form permanent satellite colonies in wood in attics and other moist areas. Workers leave a scent behind that other ants follow into the home. Carpenter ants differ from termites because they do not consume wood, but simply hollow it out to form nests. Although the damage seldom is as serious as that caused by termites, it can weaken building structures. Worker ants have been known to roam more than 100 feet from the primary colony in their quest for nourishment. A primary colony can support thousands of carpenter ants. A few dozen to hundreds may live in satellite colonies. The ant population peaks in August. "Carpenter ants are easy to control, if you can find the primary colony," said Suiter, now an Extension entomologist at the University of Georgia. "You have to look for small piles of sawdust and ant trails. They'll clear a trail from the tree to the house." Most homeowners don't have the time or expertise to track down the colony and end up hiring a pest control professional. "But they may not be successful, either, because it's hard to find the ants during the daytime, when pest control professionals do most of their work," Bennett said. Bennett, Suiter and three other researchers studying carpenter ants discovered that the baits the pest control industry uses to kill the ants are effective about half the time. The Purdue researchers found that in the spring, carpenter ants crave protein. In the fall, the ants' taste turns to sugar, possibly for energy to get them through the winter. Conventional pest control methods use a protein bait throughout the carpenter ant season. Even if the ants find the bait, there's no guarantee they'll consume it, Bennett said. "Carpenter ants are picky about what they will take and picky about what they'll carry back to their colony mates," he said. The researchers said they hope to publish their findings in a trade journal later this year. Although they're a nuisance, Bennett said carpenter ants do have a plus side. "They'll kill other insects and drag them back to the colony for food," he said. Sources: Gary Bennett, (765) 494-4564; gbennett@entm.purdue.edu Daniel Suiter, (770) 228-7288; dsuiter@gaes.griffin.peachnet.edu Writer: Steve Leer (765) 494-8415; sleer@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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