How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants From a Tree
WouterWhether you’re planning on buying a new home or just want to protect your existing property, you should be aware of carpenter ants. This wood-boring insect is capable of infecting virtually anything made of lumber, including doors, deck boards, window frames, and more.
Carpenter ants feed on dead or live insects and love sugary foods like honeydew. They are also attracted to decaying wood. This gives them an opportunity to enter and colonize a tree. They’ll quickly build a complex system of connected tunnels in the tree.
Carpenter ants can be a major problem for your tree. They’ll infest it and eventually cause it to die. You can either get rid of the ants yourself or call a tree service.
The easiest way to deal with carpenter ants is to spray ant powder around the tree’s base. You can also use ant stakes or plastic bait stations to catch and kill ants.
If you want to use a natural remedy, a peppermint oil solution is a great way to kill carpenter ants. Just mix 30 drops of oil with one gallon of water and spray the solution on the base of the tree. Repeat the process several times.
If you aren’t comfortable with the use of a chemical, you can consider using cedar oil. Cedar oil is also effective at suffocating the insects. It will not be as effective as industrial insecticides, but it is a good way to get rid of carpenter ants.
