Photo Album: Carpenter Ants Take a Bubble Bath in Eatontown, NJ
Trailing Along
As I began inspecting the bathroom, I spotted a few ants trailing in some water that was not dried up yet and then going back under the trim in the bathroom.
These Ants Are
A closer inspection revealed that these were carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are wood-destroying ants that tunnel and chew through wood to create nests. Unlike termites, they do NOT eat wood.
They Love Soft Wood
I inspected the wood trim and noticed that since the homeowner used the shower recently, the area was still moist and not drying fast. Carpenter ants prefer to attack wood softened by moisture, so this area was perfect for them.
Time for Treatment
First, I dried up the area and applied an aerosol application into all the cracks and crevices as well as an ant gel bait throughout the bathroom and surrounding rooms.
How Does This Work
Once the ants come in contact with either of these treatments they will carry it back to their colony (where they share their food, eat each other, and groom one another) and transfer it to other ants and the queen. In no time at all the colony is exterminated.
Vital Information
I also went into the basement underneath where the bathroom is and treated all the cracks and crevices in the sill plate. Additionally, I informed the homeowner that the bathroom needs better ventilation to help dry out the bathroom and prevent mold growth. I was happy to hear that her husband was planning to seal all the cracks in the bathroom, fix the ventilation, and replace the bathtub.