How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants from Trees | More About Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are nuisance pests of trees! And, these ants love to take down a tree from the inside.

Well, we just don’t want carpenter ants infesting those trees in our back yard. We need to get rid of carpenter ants in trees and save them from further damage!

They just love trees to the point of leaving them decayed and wilted.

Well, we got you covered on this one! As we share the same sentiments, we have listed some pro tips to help you eliminate these ants in a natural and least-toxic way.

Let us check these pro tips listed below.

Pro Tips in Getting Rid of Carpenter Ants in Trees

Let us just put it out right there: carpenter ants do not eat the wood of trees. In fact, carpenter ants tunnel through wood to create galleries that will serve as their shelter.

Although, these ants can still cause tree damage. Carpenter ants are excavators. And trees are their favorite excavation sites.

Carpenter ants love to nest in moist wood of trees such as rotting trees, tree stumps, and tree roots. They cause tree damage as they excavate their nest for their growing colony.

Carpenter ants do not eat wood; instead, they spit out wood shavings that look like sawdust. It’s like their mouthparts are grinding machines!

So, the question is, how can we save a tree from carpenter ants?

Well, to start with, there are treatments for carpenter ants tunneling in trees.

Some of these will naturally eliminate carpenter ants, while other steps include using least-toxic insecticides. Here are some of the pro tips you can use to eliminate even killing carpenter ants in trees.

Locate All the Nests

One of the most important and challenging steps to get rid of carpenter ants in trees is to locate all of their nests.

They usually make their nests on water-damaged and decayed wood of trees. And, one way to find their nests is to follow the trail of worker ants.

Worker ants are assigned the role of foraging food for the whole colony. During the spring and summer months, carpenter ants are the most active, especially between sunset and midnight. Remember, ants cannot recognize red light!

Now, if you’ll follow them without disturbing or startling them with your presence, you need to use a flashlight with a red film over its lens.

Also, one of the signs that indicate the presence of a carpenter ant’s nest is small piles of coarse sawdust and fine wood shavings.

Since these ants do not eat wood, they only chew the wood of a tree and then spit it out after. Those finely chewed wood shavings will mark trees infested with carpenter ants.

Another thing to help you locate their nests is to follow their sound. Active colonies of carpenter ants make a dry and rustling sound that becomes even louder if you disturb them.

These ants are always working and chewing off wood from a tree. Now, you just need to tap the surface of a tree and then press your ear towards it.

If you hear a rustling sound, then carpenter ants are likely nesting on the inside of that tree.

Prune Infested Tree Branches

Carpenter ants nest on a tree for these two reasons: decayed wood and the heartwood section of a tree.

These ant nests in a tree can potentially lead to slow and delayed damage, so there is plenty of time to plan and find some practical ways to get rid of them. 

If infested tree branches are closely hanging on a house, it is better to trim and prune them right away. These branches can be used as entryways for carpenter ants inside your homes.

You’ll not be giving them easy access to your house, right? If you can remove the damaged tree branches or wood, you better do it instantly. This will rid their colonies, thereby getting rid of their population.

Make sure to remove stumps and dead trees away from your house. A 50-foot cleared perimeter away from your house is highly recommended to discourage these ants from infiltrating your home.

They will immediately find a new shelter, and your house is at risk if you are not going to discard the damaged tree or wood right away.

Use Least-Toxic Insecticides

There are tons of available carpenter ant killers for trees. What’s even better is that some of these commercially-produced chemicals are the least toxic.

One of these least-toxic alternatives is boric acid. Although boric acid is a poison, it can be used as a pest control insecticide with fewer harmful chemicals.

There is also insecticidal dust such as silica aerogel and diatomaceous earth. Both of these two chemical dust are least toxic as well.

Ensure that you wear protective gloves and goggles when you apply this insecticidal dust.

Remind children or other household members to keep their distance while you are using insecticidal dust.

It is always important to be extra careful and mindful while handling insecticides.

Also, always read labels before buying insecticide treatment for carpenter ants in trees. Some of these insecticides vary and change their chemical content every year.

Make sure to look for the Active Ingredients contained in an insecticide. These are often shown in bold and fine print among labels, so you should watch out for that. 

Consult Professional Pest Control Services

If you prefer to consult or even avail of the services of a professional pest control team, you should obtain two or more services in getting rid of carpenter ants in trees.

The companies that you choose should be able to locate all the nests and apply the necessary measure. See if both of these companies agree on the exact location of the nesting sites.

If you want to get your money’s worth, make sure that you consult credible professional pest control services.

But, it doesn’t mean that you’ll easily be swayed by signing a contract that requires additional cost of services. You can ask to guarantee that these carpenter ants are rid of effectively. 

Also, a professional pest control team should provide safety measures and a fact sheet about carpenter ants.

This speaks a lot of their reliable and professional services in getting rid of these ants in your trees. 

Final Thoughts

Carpenter ants are excavators! And, they like to chew the heart of a tree, slowly causing damage to the tree itself. Now, we know that there are ways you can save a tree from carpenter ants.

By using natural methods or least-toxic insecticides, you’ll get rid of them in no time!

We hope you’ve taken down some notes from those pro tips we have listed above. We can assure you, our tips in getting rid of carpenter ants in trees are efficiently recommended.

Just give it a try, and it’ll be worth your time!

Thanks for reading!