Follow the ant: how carpenter ants give away their own hideout

Carpenter ants are the night shift of the bug world. During the day they keep a low profile. Around dusk they clock in, and the commute begins.

Here's the trick: pull up a chair and watch. You'll spot one ant marching along a board. Then another. Then another. They're not wandering around. They're on a route, and they all use the same one, like the morning rush hour on I-5, just smaller and with more legs.

Follow the line and they'll lead you straight home. Carpenter ants aren't great at keeping secrets. Every one of them is basically a tiny tour guide pointing at the nest and saying 'right this way.'

These photos show two big black workers patrolling the edge of a wood border. That's exactly the kind of spot they love: wood next to damp ground. They don't eat wood like termites do, but they tunnel through it to make room for the family. Leave them alone long enough and the family gets big.

Finding the nest is half the battle. Once we know where they're living, we can treat it directly instead of chasing workers all over the yard.

Seeing big black ants at dusk? Watch where they go, snap a photo and text it to Gavin. We'll take it from there.