Tunnels throughout
@GardenGerty (169406)
United States
July 24, 2023 8:29pm CST
There are tunnels throughout the bits of wood from the cedar tree that I am cleaning up. They were made by carpenter ants.
These carpenter ants do not know where to go with their tree down. They are hiding under bits of the heart wood that is laying around. I have to pick it up to mow. We will burn it in the fire pit over the course of time.
The carpenter ants are black and shiny. More than 1/4 inch long. They get on me when I pick stuff up. You can see the holes in the wood where they have munched their way through.
I did not do a lot today. I did pick up little bits of debris and I cut Bob's hair. I mowed some. I re potted some plants trimmed some things etc.
If you sprinkle cinnamon on ant hills it will drive them away. I am hoping it will drive the carpenter ants away as well.
I get up pretty early but sometimes do not get going well. I hope to do better tomorrow.
Right now I am expecting a phone call from my daughter.
15 people like this
13 responses
@DaddyEvil (174223)
• United States
25 Jul 23
We had carpenter ants in a cottonwood tree on the farm. Carpenter ants are big... I hope you haven't gotten pinched by one.
6 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
Nope, they missed out. I will use protective clothes and sprays when I go pick this stuff up.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
@DaddyEvil They seem kind of sticky. Got one on my shirt and one on my arm and had a heck of a time brushing them away.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (120543)
• United States
25 Jul 23
My mom used to sprinkle a line of cinnamon along the kitchen window sill where ants would sometimes appear after it rained, and like you said, it worked like a charm.
I hope you enjoy getting to talk to your daughter, as I know she must be looking forward to talking to you.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
We have gotten to where we make a point of Monday evening visits. There are lovely things that are non toxic but will repel ants and other bugs.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (59107)
•
26 Jul 23
Amber, we did that too, on the outside of the window when I was little, as well as the inside. My son hates ants. He even had his kitchen window replaced and resealed, and those tiny, tiny ants still came in. He resealed it again, and bombed the outside window frame all the way around with that nasty wasp spray that would kill a human. But it worked.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51811)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
25 Jul 23
I had a lovely nectarine tree at my last place, until carpenter ants took it down at the base. 
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
Sprinkling oarange peels around helps as well.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (222288)
• United States
25 Jul 23
I hope the ants don't re-home themselves in your house! I hate ants of any kind. They always want to crawl on me. We had carpenter bees munch a hole through the house and they came inside. Had to get an exterminator! Enjoy your day.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
I have gotten even more ideas from @MarieCoyle. I am on the war path.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (59107)
•
26 Jul 23
@GardenGerty
Heather, I went to the Dollar Tree and bought red chili flakes, red pepper, and cinnamon. They hate cinnamon as well, I guess it sticks to their feet. And it's cheaper than toxic sprays, it doesn't hurt people, just creepy crawlies. Throw the whole works at them! They've had their heyday!
@MarieCoyle (59107)
•
25 Jul 23
Ants will eat dry grits or dry cream of wheat...which swell up and then they die. They also do not like chili powder or dried chili flakes. They will turn and go away if they meet that stuff.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
Perfect, I will turn the entire kitchen against them.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77064)
• Philippines
25 Jul 23
I really do hope it works with carpenter ants as well.
I like to use cinnamon as a rooting hormone when I'm propagating my plants. It really works!
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
25 Jul 23
Carpenter ants can be as destructive as termites. They are bad, I don't really know what to do about them. But I like the idea od cinnamon for regular ant hills.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
I have a good supply of cinnamon on hand. I will also put out some diatomaceous earth.
This is the worst I have ever seen them.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
26 Jul 23
@GardenGerty We have used diatomaceous earth in the past along the edge of our foundation.
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
I feel lucky not to have the bees. I would not have recognized them.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502190)
• Italy
26 Jul 23
@GardenGerty I did not recognize them until I heard the noise they were making munching through a beam on the outside balcony.
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
25 Jul 23
I hope it works to get rid of them
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
I did not get out there today. I will probably mix cinnamon with diatomaceous earth to really do the trick.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (97912)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
26 Jul 23
I hope you get those carpenter ants. They were probably the ones that made the tree weak in the first place,
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
Yes, that is exactly what weakened the tree. I want to put some non toxic to the kitties treatment out to make them all go run away.
2 people like this
@hillhjill (23761)
• United States
25 Jul 23
Hope you have a good call and talk with your daughter. I have never had to deal with those kind ants, just the little ones that like to come inside.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
26 Jul 23
Some of the little ants are water seeking. One place I lived they made a trail straight through my kitchen. In a door and out a window.
2 people like this
@hillhjill (23761)
• United States
26 Jul 23
@GardenGerty yeah that what we have most years, sometimes they don't show up in the summer.
