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Organic Carpenter Ant Control

Organic Carpenter Ant Control Options

The following assumes that you already know some basics about Carpenter ants and their behavior and that you have read the Carpenter Ant Main Page or the subsidiary links to the left.

If not, please follow those links first - to understand why the options listed below may be necessary and to help you decide what you want or need. You may not need or want all of the options listed.

The first numbered entry in each 'Option' section section is our default treatment procedure and material. You infestation and concerns are unique - we customize your services to meet your needs.

Most people who search the web for organic Carpenter ant control or green Carpenter ant control just need to be reassured that the materials that we use in, on, or near their home are going to kill the ants without poisoning them.

We use a lot of natural and super low toxicity materials by default. Our default treatment materials are much less toxic than most household cleansers and have no fume, vapor, or odor.

We are happy to put together an effective ultra low toxicity or organic Carpenter control effort that meets your needs for safety and your concerns about the chemicals being used.

1. Application of naturally occurring Diatomaceous Earth into the attic and / or sub area, lightly above or into plumbing areas, lightly around the attic and / or or sub area peripheries, and into / onto other areas of common or suspected ant activity.  This qualifies as organic Carpenter ant control

2. Application of Tim-Bor, a type of boric acid into the same areas listed above. This also qualifies as organic Carpenter ant control.

3.  Forego treatment in any of these areas due to inaccessibility or customer preference.

4.  Intensive inspection and spot spray noted activity with natural or organic Carpenter ant control material of customer's choosing.

Reason for application to these areas:  Almost 50% of carpenter ants nests are found in these areas, additionally, ants are known to enter / exit these areas as they move through a home.

Reason we use default materials:  They work as well or better than synthetic alternatives, do not store in our bodies, and do not affect our central nervous system. In these areas the default materials will last and work effectively up to 1 year.

Cautions:  As with all dusts they should only be applied where they will always be dry and never in any area where they may be kicked up into the air our customers breathe.

1.  Apply ultra low toxicity, non-repellent - no fume, vapor, or odor - properly diluted, liquid insecticide into wall voids in known or suspected areas of carpenter ant activity.

2..  Apply Diatomaceous Earth or boric acid, 'Tim-Bor', into walls through electrical plug and switch receptacles and plumbing accesses in all accessible electrical and plumbing receptacles, outlets, and access areas throughout the structure.

3.  Apply Diatomaceous Earth or Tim-Bor into walls through electrical plug and switch receptacles and plumbing accesses in areas of known or suspected carpenter ant activity.

4.  Apply natural or organic carpenter ant control material - liquid insecticide - into known or suspected areas of carpenter ant activity. (Available materials are discussed later on this page.)

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5.  Forego treatment in these areas due to customer preference.

Reason for application to these areas.  Almost 50% of carpenter ants nests are found in the walls, additionally, ants are known to use plumbing and electrical lines and the holes drilled for them through framing as they move through a home.

Reason we use default materials: liquid materials penetrate better through insulation.  The ultra low toxicity synthetic control materials don't smell and don't repel ants.  Natural liquid insecticides are almost always smelly, meaning you will put up with odor for long periods; and they are highly repellent, meaning they are much more likely to push the ants somewhere else where you can't see them or even into your living area.

Having listed our preferences for ultra low toxicity synthetics, it should be noted that we have had fairly good success with diatomaceous earth - especially when we apply through all electrical and plumbing voids in a home.

1.  Apply very low toxicity non-repellent - no fume, vapor, or odor - liquid insecticide around the exterior.

2.  Apply even lower toxicity highly repellent - no fume, vapor, or odor - liquid insecticide around the exterior.

3.  Apply natural or organic Carpenter ant control material of the customer's choice around the exterior.

Not recommended: We do not recommend the application of dust insecticides, even natural ones, around the exterior of a home. 

Dusts just do not last long enough on the exterior to be effective in our damp northwest environment.

Reason for application to these areas.  Carpenter ants do not eat wood, they eat other insects and insect secretions.   While they may exit in the day or in the night, in obvious areas or in hidden ways, they will always have to get out to get to food.  Likewise, ants from related nests on the exterior, will try for years to get back in because of pheromone trails that link all nests together.

Reason we use default materials: once liquid materials adhere, they stand up to Northwest weather better.  The non-repellent, ultra low toxicity, synthetic control materials don't smell and ants will not hesitate to go back and forth over them - so they die quicker.  Natural materials typically have strong odors and they are highly repellent- meaning the ants know they are there, The natural materials are much more likely to push the ants somewhere else where you can't see them, or even into your living area. Natural materials breakdown quickly and are much more expensive - needing to be reapplied more often, costing you more per service and requiring more services.

There is no bait which works against Carpenter ants.  Take a minute to read why on our page about Carpenter ant baits:   http://pestfree.net/get-rid-of-ants/carpenter-ant-baits.htm

Every home with carpenter ants should have an ongoing exterior treatment regimen for two reasons:  to kill ants in the home as they leave to get to their preferred food sources - other insects and insect secretions, and to kill ants from exterior related nest sites - this was covered in Carpenter Ant Control on our main page

The ultra low toxicity synthetics we usually use will allow you to treat the exterior at 60 to 90 day intervals, depending on which material you choose for us to use.

Only one natural material lasts that long, and it is highly repellent.  That means that the ants will know where it is applied.  They will spend all their time trying to find a way around it, to get to food, any food - even if that food is in your kitchen

It should also be noted that most of the natural sprays contain solvents and additives that are not always natural or organic.  While some of the liquid natural or organic Carpenter ant control materials work quickly when first applied, they do not last long, and usually take longer to control a Carpenter ant infestation.

Natural Dust materials include:

The Diatomaceous earth we use is made from the skeletons of fresh water algae.  It has no fume or vapor, does not impact the central nervous system, and is considered natural and 'organic' even though the skeletons consist mainly of Silica in it's safest natural form.  It is a desiccant and dries up the insects outer wax coating.

The type of Boric acid we use is Tim-Bor, it is very mild, considered natural or 'organic', and controls ants the same way as the material noted above.  We feel it doesn't work quite as well or fast - but it can also inhibit mold or fungus. Please note: another reason not to use boric acid outside is that it is very harmful to plants.

Natural spray materials include:

Pyrethrins, an extract made from chrysanthemums.  It is the most common natural insecticide.  It works for 1 to 2 weeks, per application, and is often in a mix with a synergist: Piperonyl Butoxide. Very sweet mum smell. There is a type of micro-encapsulated pyrethrin which lasts longer - perhaps up to 90 days, and smells less. Super repellent.

Eugenol, is a plant extract that smells a lot like cloves.  Very strong and sweet.  It last for a few days.  Highly repellent.

Cedar oil.  This materials will last for 3 to 4 days in a form strong enough to kill ants. Very good at initial use, almost no residual - very expensive. Highly repellent.

There are also a few 'exempt' materials.  Materials that meet certain EPA requirements that give them the very lowest toxicity rating such as EcoEXEMPT and Alpine pressurized insecticide. We are happy to use them for you but would charge for any retreats in any program that included them.

Even using the most effective professional materials, getting rid of Carpenter ants is not a quick, easy, one time fix. The nest in your house is related to other exterior nests.

Carpenter ants live a very long time and it can take a year to kill all the ants off in a structure, and our treatments around your home do nothing to eliminate the exterior main nest site, which may be 300 yards away from your home. Choosing to treat just the exterior is an option, but it may take longer eliminate all of your ants.

To help in getting control of Carpenter ants, we talk to all of our customers about carpenter ant prevention.

We cannot see into walls or through insulation.  Our training and experience helps us find ants, but we have no way of knowing where every ant is, or even how many nests there are in a structure.  So we can't just treat one area and poof your ants are gone. Our default treatment program is designed to cover as many bases as possible while making a minimal impact on your living environment.

We are happy to use the control materials you choose.  We apply all materials with care. Just because something is natural or organic does not mean it has no toxicity or inherent hazard.

For instance we would never apply boric acid, or diatomaceous earth in your living area where it could become airborne, or boric acid where it would contact vegetation.

We want all of our customers to feel safe and good about their service choices.

However, we do prefer not to do any work with someone who has, or believes they have, multiple chemical sensitivity.  You and I, along with everything we wear, eat, or touch, is made of chemicals. There are vitamins that are used as pesticides.  Ultra low toxicity and natural or organic control options make sense for a lot of reasons.  People choose paints with no VOCs. People choose to use organic alternatives to common household cleansers. But, If you have an actual reaction to the smell of fresh paint, or to common everyday household cleansers, we would be happy to consult with you, but will not apply any control material for you.