What Does an Exterminator Do to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants?

Carpenter ants are one of the most difficult pests to eliminate even for professionals especially around the rainy seasons creating a damp environment perfect for carpenter ants to thrive in. It can take a professional ant exterminator multiple treatments and up to a year to completely get rid of the infestation. These professionals rely on a variety of products and methods depending on the nature and the extent of the infestation. Learning what exterminators do to get rid of carpenter ants can help you to understand the process better. 

Professional Carpenter Ant Removal Methods

Thre is what exterminators do to get rid of carpenter ants quickly. Some of the methods that exterminators in Toronto use to get rid of carpenter ants include;

Dust Material Treatment: This method is used mainly for indoor infestation. Professional-grade ant dust helps to expose hidden ant colonies as well as remove carpenter ants. Although these dust treatments are available over-the-counter, DIY pesticides do not contain the potent active ingredients used by professionals.

Water-based Insecticide: Water-based insecticide may be used as an alternative to insecticide dust. This option is especially good for cracks, crevices and other areas that may be difficult or impossible to treat with insecticide dust. The liquid pesticide is also good for reducing the size of a colony.

Residual Insecticides: This type of insecticide retains its potency long after application and is used for long-term pest control. It may be used to treat nests directly or to create a barrier to prevent ants nesting outdoors from gaining access to into the home.

Ant Bait: This is a slow-acting but very effective solution that is very popular with exterminators. The ant’s primary source of food is contaminated with pesticides. The worker ants take the poisoned food back to the colony which eventually kills all the ants in the nest.

Mist Treatments: is used on infested wood surfaces such as beams, doors and wall voids. The treatment is an ultra-light mist applied using the pressurized equipment. This treatment destroys nests inside wooden structures.

Perimeter Treatment: is typically used in addition to indoor ant extermination methods. The treatment is applied to the perimeter of the house to prevent ants from getting into the house.

Hire a Professional Exterminator

There are strict regulations regarding the use of pesticides in Canada so it impossible to purchase professional-grade chemicals that guarantee extermination. Over-the-counter products do not contain the potent active ingredients that kill carpenter ants.

Carpenter ants form satellite colonies which are another major reason why DIY extermination has such as high failure rate. For one, most homeowners are unable to identify all the carpenter ant nests in and around the house so any extermination in such a case will be ineffective. Disturbing an ant’s nest (read unsuccessful extermination) will cause a parent colony to disperse and various queens and workers proceed to form individual colonies. What was once a single ant’s nest now becomes multiple, thriving colonies.

Only an exterminator can guarantee successful and permanent carpenter ant removal. He begins by identifying all the colonies before applying the most appropriate pest control measure. An exterminator also helps to prevent an ant problem in future.