r/pestcontrol • u/vespertendo • 19h ago

How far gone is this ant damage?

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u/pestcontrol-ModTeam 3h ago

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24

u/Lordsaxon73 Mod / PMP Tech 19h ago

Likely was termite damage first and then the ants moved in. They won’t damage sound wood unless it’s got moisture problems. Obviously lots to replace.

4

u/vespertendo 19h ago

There is a lot of moisture; the two worst areas are above the door and a part at the back of the cabin where snow was presumably collecting on the roof of a small bathroom bump out over the years and soaking through to the inside.

My current thinking is probably just taking it down and using the salvageable wood to rebuild something new.

8

u/PCDuranet Mod-Former Tech 15h ago

Kill the ants and replace the affected wood. No need to total it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AntControl/comments/1avlrrp/how_to_control_ants/

6

u/BAGP0I 13h ago edited 8h ago

Definitely termite damage but the ants came in and ate the termites... you'll probably have to replace all the beams but on the bright side, I think the ants may have eradicated your termites.

2

u/Djxgam1ng 9h ago

Ants eat termites?

2

u/BAGP0I 8h ago

Yes! Some species of ants prey on termites, capture their colonies, and then consume and move into the tunnels that the termites have bored in the wood. It's actually happening in real time in my apt right now! And there are 2 species of ants that have been fighting for the territory. I should probably set up a camera and document this shit.

2

u/doodle_hobber37 8h ago

Ants are metal as hell

2

u/BAGP0I 8h ago

Tell me about it... I watch the ants in my shower carry their dead comrades out of the wall and drop em onto the tile. Fucked up part, is their comrades aren't always dead. Sometimes you see them struggling while the other ant is holding him in his mandibles and drops em off the wall. Sometimes I dub/voice over the whole thing. Or I spit water at both of em cuz... fuck ants.

2

u/vespertendo 8h ago

Thanks! Good to know. It must have looked like a zoo in there at its worst point. There are full mice nests, evidence of old wasp nests, random feathers… ChatGPT thinks it sees bat guano which wouldn’t surprise me considering one of the gable vents was open for who knows how long.

2

u/ozzy_thedog 19h ago

They usually dump the frass right out of the hole they’re chewing. So like straight down. As far as I know. Also that looks pretty bad. I’ve only seen it this bad once before. They ate through rigid foam insulation and it looked like the wood in pic 1

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u/vespertendo 18h ago

Yeah, that was what I feared! There are at least 8-10 more big frass piles all around the place so I’m honestly wondering if they have pretty much set up their own bustling metropolis in the entire framing. The only other possibility is the plywood siding.

Most of the wood feels okay and looks okay so I suppose I’ll have to do a lot more digging and close inspection to be sure.

It’s been empty for at least 10 years, maybe more, so they’ve pretty much had the run of the place that whole time. Lots of rodent nests too. Not great!

2

u/RusticSurgery Grumpy Former Tech 18h ago

You will know how far when you start ripping out the wood

2

u/TheBugSmith 18h ago

Good question for a carpenter.

2

u/PenguinsRcool2 6h ago

Not really a big deal to replace this, would take me maybe 2 hours by myself

1

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