Quick answer
To get rid of carpenter ants, you have to find and treat the nest — not just the ants you see — and fix the moisture problem that attracted them, because carpenter ants tunnel into damp or water-damaged wood and baiting/treating the colony at its source is the only lasting fix.
The short answer
Carpenter ants mean two problems: a colony, and the moisture that drew it in. They tunnel into damp or water-damaged wood to nest, so getting rid of them means treating the colony at its source and fixing the underlying dampness — spraying the ants you see does nothing to the nest.
Signs of carpenter ants
- Large (¼–½ inch) black or dark ants, especially at night
- Small piles of sawdust-like frass near woodwork, windows or baseboards
- Winged swarmers indoors (a sign of an established nest)
- A faint rustling in walls in a heavy infestation
Why NYC homes get them
In New York’s older homes and brownstones, carpenter ants exploit damp wood around old windows, roof edges, and plumbing leaks. They’re most common where there’s a moisture problem — which is why finding the leak matters as much as treating the ants. See our ant control service for how we locate and eliminate the colony.