Carpenter Ants

[Oldsaltydog]

I use my boat about twice a month. Even after two weeks or so, our lovely Florida carpenter ants usually set up a nest someplace in my boat covered well with a heavy tarp. Besides spraying insecticide around the wheels of my trailer, could anyone suggest any other alternatives for "protecting" my boat?

 

[imported_JD__]

Re: Carpenter Ants

EBG,<br />Carpenter ants hollow out nest chambers in wood, prefer moist. Does your boat have a wooden skeleton? Didn't accidentally leave a few honey buns lying around, did you? They could cause damage similar to but not as extensive as termites. I understand ants leave a scent trail, maybe why they are coming back. I would take it seriously. You need to find and destroy the nest. Call your local extension agent.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Carpenter Ants

Is it legal to keep an anteater as a pet in Florida?

 

[Oldsaltydog]

Re: Carpenter Ants

Thanks for the note JD. The boat is 95 percent fiberglass and the carpenter ants have not made it into any wooden components. I know what you are referring though. Back on the Great Plains I had my house resided a decade ago, and we found a huge colony of carpenter ants eating away at a beam.<br /><br />Any other "defensive" suggestions? (Sorry, I could not get my hands on an anteater.)

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Carpenter Ants

I spray my boat. I spray up under the gunnels, inside hatches, anywhere that won't be continously touched by people or in contact with water. I do it mainly for spiders, and to prevent yellowjackets, but it would be fine for ants. Spraying around the trailer can help. The ultimate protection is to eliminate all carpenter ant colonies in a 300 foot radius, that is how far they travel to forage for food and establish satellite colonies.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Carpenter Ants

Get some Terro Ant Killer at Home Depot. I had that problem this year - had our home fumigator do a number on the boat. His treatment was not effective as the ants go into places that the normal stuff won't get to. The Terro is stuff that you put on little pieces of cardboard. The ants love it and take it back to their nests and it does a number to all the little critters that live there.

 

[justin walker]

Re: Carpenter Ants

I also find ants in my boat. when I am on vacation I don't see them but after my boat has been parked in my rented storage spot they return. I just placed "Raid" ant traps inside boat recently not sure if it will work.

 

[rnsi]

Re: Carpenter Ants

I've seen the ants jump/drop from other objects (low overhanging trees?). Boric acid might help. They bring it back to the nest and they all die. Put it down around the wheels and jack, and in the area where you see the ants. If you have ants in a tree or structure near the boat, you'll need to take care of that problem too.