When Bugs Hide

This is a lovely home. So what is wrong with this picture?

See that tree on the right? That tree we think is where the carpenter ants originally came from – where they lived before moving into the dining room.

But even after they moved it, they were almost impossible to find. We, and the owners could (only) see the detritus they left behind… bug debris… that looked like dirt. But no bugs! Where were they?

{squeamish alert!}

They were hiding. Hiding in plain sight. Right there! See them? No?

BEHIND THE CORNICE TRIM!

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ANTS!

And boy, was it shocking when we pulled that first piece of trim off and they started falling to the ground and all over the room! YIKES!

It *did* have a happy ending. Nothing a shop-vac and a broom and some botanicals couldn’t take care of, once we found them.  And of course, we treated the outside of the house! Always treat the cause and not the symptom! Treating the perimeter of the house was as important as removing the ants from inside the house!

Now.. Don’t Have Nightmares…. Happy belated Halloween!