[Yodaman]

I have seen my share of carpenter ants but don't recall seeing any with this split forked leg. Can anyone identify positively?

A tenant sent me the pic this AM. So far only one found, but in the kitchen.

Thanks for any help

 

[Bud9051]

I didn't have any luck searching either. It might be a different member of that family, like workers or soldiers. With that picture I would send it off to your local department of agriculture or other department to see what they say. With an identification you will have a better idea as to how to eliminate them. I've used Terro with success, even have a picture somewhere with half a dozen surrounding a bait sample. They just coming and going and this year, so far no ants in that area.

Bud

 

[r0ckstarr]

split forked leg.

I think the split forked legs you are seeing is the shadow created by your cameras flash. Notice that even the antenna on the front of the ant also appears split.

 

[Bud9051]

Hi Rock, that's interesting.
But, one, I found a couple of clip art where they didn't identify the ants, but they had the same/similar feet. There was a really ugly one I discounted. And two, if the flash is attached to the camera, wouldn't the shadow be directly under the image of the foot?

I didn't search a lot, but the one picture of a carpenter ant I looked at seemed to have different body segments, this ant has fat parts in the middle.

It will be interesting to see what it turns out to be.

Bud

 

[Yodaman]

I would say Rockstar nailed it. I went back to the tenant and asked them to flip it over and send another pic.
No forked feet.
Pretty sure it is your run of the mill carpenter ant. Although it is the largest I have ever seen. Imagine what 10,000 of those chompers would do to your house!
There is a house next door that has been vacant for 3 years, now showing visible signs of dilapidation. The houses are only about 20 feet apart separated by a shared driveway.
We sprayed the outside perimeter today, and planning to spray and inspect the crawl space area Friday.

 

[Bud9051]

I agree. Spraying may not eliminate the colony. If the persist shift to the poison baits as they take that back to the nest and hopefully it takes out the queen.

Bud

 

[noquacks]

I agree. Spraying may not eliminate the colony. If the persist shift to the poison baits as they take that back to the nest and hopefully it takes out the queen.

Bud

Right- the best poison laced baits are boric based. The sweet drops in the liquid baits are ingested, then puked up inside the queen's chamber to feeed the queen, which ingests the boric poison.

 

[MRpeabody]

I've had luck with boric based treatments this year. Be sure to use the slow acting ones so the queen is taken out just as noquacks said.