Good information about those ants. Thanks.

Wow, no wonder I don't like ants. We have enough trouble with fire ants, termies, carpenter ants and about 50 other kinds - wasn't familiar with these but all ants seem to like moisture.

Yep,  the moisture tends to attract wood destroying organisms-- fungal and insect varieties.

Steven, thanks once again for great information.  I didn't think much of it, but I find small groups of no more than 30 tiny ants about once a week where there's no identifiable food source.  You may have identified what's going on.  The search begins.    

Kevin,

There are thousands of ants but only a few species that damage the wood, so what you are seeing might not be a problem. Are they up in the house or out in the yard?

Steve, they're in the house.  Oddly, I never see a trail of them that I can find the source of entry.  They are resistant to residual chemical.  They're maybe an eight of an inch long. 

Kevin,

Catch a few, send them up here, I can probably get an ant expert friend to identify them for certain. With WSU in our state, we have no shortage of entomologists.

Kevin, like Steve said, there are so many kinds of ant it can be.  But Steve, who usually has "ants in his pants" will be able to figure it out.  Good post Steve.  Here is a picture of another Moisture Ant nest---notice how similiar the structure is even though it is made out of different materials.

You guys have me on a rampage now.  If I can't figure it out from here, how would you like 'em Steve, DEAD or ALIVE?

Kevin,

Just catch several, put them in a baggie alive and we will see how they arrive. Try to pack them so they do not get flattened. I do not necessarily know all the ants in your area, but I think I have contacts that could identify any ant. If you get these bug PHD's working you get results, they are curious, and they have quite a network I have tapped into before on tough stuff.

Charlie,

Regarding your photos, now that you have the joists out from under the sink, does your house still feel stable enough? Getting rid of that must kind of feel like killing your pets

Steve, this is what I mean, I think they read your comment, can't find a single one now.  I'll gather some and contact you when they're out and about on their next tour. 

Old wood is OK just don't gnaw on the wood for my house.

I never even heard of a moisture ant before- in our part of the country- we have termites- but I have never heard of the ants- thanks for the post and the education.

Still amazes me how destructive these little critters can be.  Good info.

wow, interesting information. I had never heard of moisture ants before. Thanks for sharing.

Sean Allen

I have a question about carpenter ants...I think you said they march? I sometimes find a semi-large "juicy" black ant wandering through my living room, by himself and I have called my regular exterminator who knows my house and he says that it is nothing to worry about---I don't have moisture problems but the house is a 1930's craftsman style bungalow and it did have Terms when I bought it but it has been treated and repaired. I hear that sometimes carpenter ants move into a former termite home; is that correct? It is a fairly rare appearance but I get really worried when I see one.

I think EO Wilson (that academic guy who studies ants) says that the total biomass of ants in the world exceeds the total biomass of humans.  That's a pretty amazing statement.

I am constantly surprised when I find that a homeowner has not had a termite inspection for 5-10 years or more. 

Then there are the owners who have the "Termite Warranty" and therefore ignore everything. 

NewsFlash.  Termites can't read!!!

I recommend to my buyers that they have a termite inspection every year.  Geez.  It costs a whopping $50.

GROSS!!!  Those pictures are grossing me out for sure.  I've never heard of that kind of ant, but we do have carpenter ants up here.  I've had them myself, but now have my house treated twice a year and no problems since.  Gross!

Ann

Hi all,

Thanks for the comments. I am busy doing a report but will respond personally as I get a chance here.

I have never even heard of moisture ants!  I guess (hope) I may not be alone in this...;)

Ha ha ha...Lenn..."Termites can't read..."  But they can make a killer pot of coffee...;) 

Steven - very interesting.  I guess we get our share of "critters" here in the Puget Sound that is much different than the east coast. 

Steven - Congrats on the feature.  You so deserve it!  I've learned so much from you.  Thanks.

Thanks again for all the comments. When I get done with the bear of a report I am banging out, I will give you the attention you deserve, as far as your questions.

Good information on ants and pictures of damage. Thanks for the post Steven.

Pretty disgusting...we see carpenter ants here a lot...it's common..I believe we see them in attics more and from water leakage from the roof areas. They are pretty big here an homeowners have seen them in inspections and don't even realize hey were there..it seems like they can be killed pretty easy but they definitely look pretty bad. We have all ant problems here in Florida as you probably know moisture is a big thing here.

Kevin

I don't know about the west coast where you are, but in the Fort Lauderdale area, we have a company called, Do It Your Self Pest Proof. If you do, or similar, put a few of the ants in a jar and bring it to them, they'll sell you the right stuff and tell you how to use the Chemicals the right way.

Congratulations on the featured blog.  You deserve it!  You write good blogs and so does your friend!

Wow, there are way too many different kinds of ants. I have never heard of moisture ants before. That is crazy. I will definitely be on the watch out for leaks!

Paula,

It is probable that a large black ant is a carpenter ant. I would not say carpenter ants specifically look for termite houses but carpenter ants are an enemy of termites, they eat them. Also, the same conducive conditions that attract termites tend to attract carpenter ants. In fact, conducive conditions that attract one wood destroying organism tend to appeal to all varieties -- fungal and insect.

Do you have a problem? Well, that can be hard to tell. Do you live in the woods, with lots of trees around. If so, carpenters are often out looking to form satellite nests. Those of us in real estate ought to understand that -- they are looking for affordable housing that is not too crowded.

I do not like to find ants inside the home. Too often they came up from the crawl space or the attic. Now, if you take this ant and ring his neck, how long before you get another? If it is fairly soon, or even in a day or so, I would be concerned. On the other hand, if it is weeks or months, not so much so. When I said marching, I did not mean a single ant. I meant a few, or many, following one another and sometimes transporting their white pupa. If you are sitting on a deck or something, and see large black ants, then just watch them. If they are darting under your house, climbing up in soffit vents, going under the gable in a hole, then you have a real concern. This is hard to trouble shoot from afar.  Like I told Kevin, you can send me an ant, and I can ID it for you. But then one carpenter does not make a work crew.

Steven - Thank you for this good information. We recently had a leak in our pump house, I didn't tend to it right away and found  the wood ants did quite a bit of damage in a hurry. Now I have to get busy and do some repair work.

Thanks for the good pics and information.

Carl,

Glad it was helpful. We probably see more of this being in the wet northwest, than lots of the rest of you see.