You’re enjoying a quiet evening at home in Lake Oswego, sipping coffee, when you notice a few large black ants marching across your kitchen counter. No big deal, right? A few ants aren’t a problem… until they are.
Fast forward a few weeks, and you start hearing faint rustling sounds behind the walls. Maybe you spot a tiny pile of sawdust near your windowsill. Suddenly, it hits you—these aren’t just any ants. Carpenter ants have moved in, and they’re tunneling through your home like a construction crew with no permits.
If you’re dealing with these unwelcome visitors in Portland Metro, Beaverton, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, or Ridgefield, here’s what you need to know to get rid of carpenter ants before they turn your house into their personal development project.
Why Do Carpenter Ants Love the Pacific Northwest?
Carpenter ants are picky about where they set up shop. Unfortunately, our region provides the perfect conditions:
🌧️ Moisture-rich environments – Whether it’s the rainy seasons in Portland Metro or the misty mornings in Vancouver, damp wood is a prime attraction.
🏚️ Aging homes with untreated wood – Older homes in Beaverton and Lake Oswego can be especially susceptible, with softened wood making it easier for ants to carve their nests.
🌲 Heavily wooded areas – If you’re in Battle Ground or Camas, surrounded by gorgeous forests, carpenter ants might see your home as an extension of their natural habitat.
Bottom line? If you live in the PNW, you’re at higher risk of a carpenter ant infestation—especially if your home has water damage or untreated wood.
What Is the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants?
Think of carpenter ants like a sneaky team of woodworkers—you need a smarter strategy to outplay them.
1. Track Down the Colony (Detective Mode: On)
Carpenter ants aren’t just wandering aimlessly—they have a home base inside your home. Finding it is the key to wiping them out.
How to find their nest:
🔎 Follow their trails at night (they’re most active after dark).
🎧 Listen for faint rustling noises inside walls or wooden beams.
📍 Look for tiny piles of sawdust-like debris (aka frass) near baseboards or windows.
Live in Ridgefield or Battle Ground? Your best bet is to check basements, crawl spaces, and exterior wood structures since carpenter ants love nesting in damp, secluded areas.
2. Use the Right Baits & Insecticides (Go for the Queen!)
If you only kill the worker ants you see, the colony will keep going strong. The real target? The queen.
Best methods for elimination:
💀 Slow-acting bait traps – Ants carry poisoned bait back to the nest, spreading it through the colony.
🛑 Non-repellent insecticides – These work because ants don’t detect them, allowing them to bring the treatment deeper into the nest.
🎯 Foam or dust treatments – If you can locate the nest, injecting an insecticidal dust directly into it speeds up the process.
Need a professional solution in Beaverton or Vancouver? Our ant control services use industry-leading treatments to wipe out colonies for good.
Do Carpenter Ants Eventually Go Away? (Spoiler: No.)
Some people hope carpenter ants will just move out on their own. Spoiler alert: They won’t.
Once established, carpenter ants will continue tunneling through your home for years if left unchecked. Even if you stop seeing them, they could still be expanding their network inside your walls.
Signs they’re still around:
- You keep finding frass (wood shavings) in new spots.
- Ants disappear, then suddenly reappear.
- You hear faint noises behind walls, especially at night.
If you live in Lake Oswego or Camas, where homes are often surrounded by trees, carpenter ants may even have multiple nests inside and outside your home. That means treating one area might not be enough!
Ready to eliminate them for good? Request a professional inspection to ensure your home is ant-free.
What Do Carpenter Ants Hate the Most? (AKA How to Keep Them Away)
Carpenter ants aren’t easily scared, but there are a few things they absolutely despise:
🚫 Diatomaceous Earth – A natural powder that dehydrates ants on contact.
🚫 Essential Oils – Peppermint, tea tree, and citrus oils disrupt their scent trails.
🚫 Boric Acid – A slow-acting poison that wipes out colonies when ants carry it back to the nest.
🚫 Vinegar – Spraying it along baseboards and entry points makes ants turn the other way.
Live in Portland Metro or Ridgefield? Your best bet is to also seal up cracks, repair wood damage, and keep your home dry to prevent future infestations.
Serving the Entire Portland, Vancouver Area & Beyond
At True Guard Pest Control, we’ve helped homeowners from Beaverton to Vancouver, Camas to Battle Ground protect their homes from carpenter ants.
💡 Did you know? Carpenter ant damage can weaken wooden beams, window frames, and even support structures over time. Catching them early is key to preventing expensive repairs.
We specialize in:
✔ Carpenter Ant Elimination – We find and destroy the entire colony, including the queen.
✔ Prevention & Maintenance – Keep ants out for good with custom prevention plans.
✔ Moisture & Entry Point Inspections – Fixing the root cause so carpenter ants don’t return.
🔎 Located in Beaverton, Vancouver, or anywhere in the Portland Metro area? Get your free quote today!
Don’t Let Carpenter Ants Win
Carpenter ants might love the PNW, but that doesn’t mean they have to love your home.
Your action plan:
✅ Track down the nest & use the right treatments.
✅ Fix moisture issues & repair damaged wood.
✅ Use natural repellents to keep them away.
✅ Call in the pros for long-term protection.
Whether you’re in Portland, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, or Ridgefield, True Guard Pest Control has your back.
Don’t wait until the damage is done—schedule your inspection today!
