What kind of ant is this - warning, creepy ant pictures!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Bugs in the house don't normally bother me, as long as there's not too many and they run and hide when I enter the room. :p

First of all this summer, we were swarmed by tiny little "sweet" ants. Got some ant baits made for sweet ants and they disappeared like magic! I was thrilled!

However, now we're getting these suckers!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid182/pb1dcbec8ab309cac9a13cdff71ca492e/f2cabcba.jpg

They're HUGE - at least compared to the sweet ants. There aren't as many of them, but they seem to be everywhere, including climbing on the walls - blatant buggers! It seems they come in the house, then they die, leaving their ugly little black carcases all over my white carpeting - ugh.

I bought some other traps that were for a variety of ants including argentine(?) ants and carpenter ants and several types of ants I've never heard of. These traps are not making any difference in the onslaught, so my question is, what type of ants are these and more importantly, how do I get rid of them?

Here are two more pics to possibly help in the indentification.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid182/pfef2a927695ee21215d559b1c309cf3a/f2cabca9.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid182/p8bb84133d7c1d52c1f6e2848f02376de/f2cabc7e.jpg

This one was dumb enough to fall into the sink. As soon as I got done with the pics, he was down the drain! I've been known to put a towel in the sink to assist a daddy-long-legs in escaping the steep porcelein walls, but ants, no way, down the drain with you!

I also suppose I should do a search on carpenter ants. I've heard they can be destructive, and if that's what these are, we'll pay for an exterminator ASAP! UGH!

[4 Dog Mother]

I am not an expert on ants by far, but they look like what my parents always call carpenter ants. Can't tell you what to do to get rid of them if the things you are trying aren't helping though.

[sirrahbed]

YUCK!! Debbie it looks like an ant we get each year about this time. The exterminator told us they came from cement and yes, mine do seem to come in the laundry room and we live on a slab. I am thinking he called them carpenters but not sure. He did not think he needed to come out and told us we could just use a store-bought spray on them. I don't know if they are the same though - ours are about half the size of your pictures - maybe a half inch long. YUCK!!!

[smokey the elder]

That looks like a carpenter ant. We get them in the spring. We had an outbreak in the lab, of all places! "Hey, I said NO PETS!:p :D "

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by sirrahbed
I don't know if they are the same though - ours are about half the size of your pictures - maybe a half inch long. YUCK!!!

Just to clarify, they aren't really as big as the pics otherwise I'd really be gagging! They're like you say, Debbie, about 1/2" or so long. I think we might have some spray laying around the house, have to see if I can find it and spray. They seem to come in the doors that are on either side of the fireplace - right into the living room.

Too bad Tubby's gone, he'd be all over these buggers! He was always my hero when it came to keeping bugs away. ;)

Hmmm....that's a thought though.....we never had mice in the basement until Tubby got sick. We've gotten at least 4 or 5 of them since then. We never had these ants before when Tubby was around, now we do. Me thinks we need to start teaching CJ some stalking/hunting techniques. ;) :D

[furrykidsmother]

Yes, I am familiar with those. I too have found many little dead bodies in my kitchen. Season is almost over I think, thank God!!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

YUCK !!!!!!! :eek: :eek:
Never seen such huge ants before...! They give me the creeps :eek: . I hope you can get rid of them,asap! Do they bother the cats?

[shais_mom]

i had the same kind Debbie!
I caught Kloe on top of my cupboard all stretched out across the doorway trying to catch one!
I just bought some ant/roach spray and some ant traps
and haven't seen them lately

[lbaker]

We've always called them tree ants. Some Borax lightly sprinkled on door jams and window sills, or around the kitchen and downstair bathroom sinks/windows seem to work wonders and isn't poison. Doesn't bother cats or dogs either but of course I don't just throw it around or sprinkle all over the floor or carpet. Borax works for roaches and other nasty things too.

[Cataholic]

I know my ants! Those are definetly from the

family of veryscary

genus freakyhelpme

subclass calltheexterminator !

Don't mess around with them!:D

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Thanks everybody! :D

I found this link all about carpenter ants.
http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef603.htm

Now it's double ugh. :mad: :rolleyes: :p

Guess I'm off to buy some Borax tonight since the ant traps aren't working.

[lbaker]

Tip: mix a wee bit of sugar (powdered if you have it) in with the borax.. just enough to lure the little suckers. They take it back into their nasty nests. Good luck.