I have 100+ trees mostly ash and hickory they all seem to be infested with carpenter ants.
I have lost some of my older trees to these bad boys does any have an answer to help rid my trees of these ants?

Reply to post by Kevin, on August 21, 1999 at 23:20:23:

My understanding is that carpenter ants infest wood which is wet or decayed and do not destroy otherwise sound wood. They nest in the wood they infest, they don't eat it, they eat elsewhere. Shigo has SUGGESTED, CAUTIOUSLY that ants MIGHT actually be functional in clearing out wet or decayed wood thereby reducing moisture levels and perhaps slowing further decay.

The ants are not likely the cause of your tree failures. They may or may not be indicators of future failure from other defects. You really need to make a tree by tree inspection to answer that. The ants might just be foraging, looking around for good sites, they might be infesting limited areas or they might be infesting areas of major structural damage.

You need to distinguish the trees which might endanger people or property from trees you might want to save for their own sake.

You also need to distinguish tree structure from tree health. If your tree are dying (as contrasted to falling over) the ants are neither an indicator nor a cause. If the trees are falling over or breaking apart the ants may be an indicator but are not likely a cause.

Short of extensive and repetitive insecticide treatment of the trees and the surrounding ground areas your not going to eliminate the ants even if there was a real pay off for doing so.

Reply to post by Scott Cullen, on August 21, 1999 at 23:20:23:

I agree with Scott. Doubtful that ants are doing anything other than cleaning out wood with incipient decay.

Reply to post by Peter Torres, on August 22, 1999 at 07:44:07:

Glad to read these two responses!
There is also some evidence that ants may actually protect their homes (i.e., trees) from marauding insects pests that can cause injury.
The only place carpenter ants should cause alarm is in the house. Even then, their presence, assuming they live in the house rather than comute through, is only an indication of problems. It means you have a leak that is causing wood to rot.

Reply to post by Ed Milhuos, on August 29, 1999 at 00:48:26:

There's one point missing here, though. The Carpenter ants are not damaging the trees. But they do produce broods of winged females, set on finding new nesting sites. And while they don't care much for dry wood, it dosen't have to be wet either. They will often find house lumber a fine place to live, especially near the ground. So a large nest or infestation could be considered some cause for concern, in proximity to houses, as a source.

Just one more thing to think about.

Reply to post by Russ Carlson, on August 30, 1999 at 09:15:42:

That's a reasonable temporary response, especially if there's just one tree in the neighborhood. it's infested and it's next to your hose which has a leak in the roof.

But in general I think it's a little like te request to "get rid of those yellow'jackets that fly into my yard." Show me a specific nest and it can be destroyed, but can you cover all possible sources (trees, trash cans, ground nests, whatever) within pest flying radius of the traget yard or house? Better to address the target wet wood in structure issue.

Reply to post by Scott, on August 30, 1999 at 22:50:12:

As with the yellow jackets, you must locate the carlenter ants' nest and kill the queen, or you will not get rid of the ants.

Reply to post by Scott, on August 30, 1999 at 22:50:12:

No disagreement, really. Sort of like getting rid of squirrels, or bailing out the ocean. But you can still, at least temporarily, reduce the potential source.