Carpenter Ant Killer

When tracking Carpenter ants, especially outside, there are some factors that will help you in your hunt.

1. Get your first ant. If you can't find a single ant foraging, scouting, or just hanging out mocking you(like my do), then you might have a serious problem. Might is the key word. Carpenter Ants are crafty bunch, so get your first ant, and then track him.

2. Temperature. If the outside temperature is very hot, those little devils can run very fast. So if you yard, that has many many obstacles, (bushes, mulch, high grass) then tracking one of these Carpenter Ants when spooked can be a challenge. Try to avoid very hot days if you can, or try to track during periods of cooler temperatures, like morning or late afternoon.

3. Go Home! One ant isn't your goal, you want the nest, especially the Carpenter Ant Queen! So, you need tell your new found carpenter ant to go home. I've found that a little honey on the back will stop an ant in their tracks. The ant will stop what she(workers are female) is doing to eat the honey. Once full, the ant will forget what ever task they were originally doing, and head home. Now you need to track her.

4. Keep your distance. If you are too close, your Carpenter Ant prey might detect you, and avoid you. This will prevent her from taking a straight line home. Sooner you find the nest, sooner your neighbors will stop watching you crawl around your yard.

5. Don't give up. If you loose track of your ant while following her, odds are you are now closer to the nest and will pick up another Carpenter Ant. Wait, and see what passes by. Once you find another follow the tips about tracking, and get your ANTS!