Ants?

loribeth

im havng a problem with ants in a large tree in my back yard it seems that they are eating into the tree ive been on other sights and think that they are carpenter ants does this sound right and if so what can i use to get rid of them that is eco and pet friendly?

treeseer

Carpenter ants do not eat into the tree; they just hang out where the tree is decayed. An arborist can assess the decay and recommend treatments. If you post a picture or two, you can get some distant advice here.

pcarborist

They don't eat wood but they do excavate and tunnel thru the decayed wood. Very similar to woodpeckers who will seek out aspens with Phellinus tremulae. Loribeth, the carpenter ants are secondary pests, the damage has already been done by the fungus. But, if you do want to try to control them, try an ant bait that contains spinosad.