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View Full Version : Ants Take over the Boat!!!



mirvin
09-08-2003, 09:31 AM
Not just the little black ones either. A whole mess of the nasty half red half black winged ones. I cleaned and covered it and put a bunch of and bait in there.
Wassup?

Rocket2003
09-08-2003, 09:33 AM
Are you sure they are Ants? Maybe they were Termites! It's happened before!

Rocket2003
09-08-2003, 09:34 AM
Are you sure they are Ants? Maybe they were Termites! You should take one up and have it checked out!
It's happened before!

mirvin
09-08-2003, 09:53 AM
Hey Rocket,
That's what I was worried about. I know that ants come along and eat t the termites once they're dead. Termites on a boat would be bad huh? (duh)
The winged creatures I've been finding are definately not termites, I know what those look like. I'll see if I can find a pic of these things and post it in this thread.

mirvin
09-08-2003, 10:21 AM
The winged creatures I've been finding are definately not termites, I know what those look like. I'll see if I can find a pic of these things and post it in this thread. Crap!! I thought I knew what a termite looked like! These must be pretty young. They could barely fly and ther wings were pretty short. I guess what I should have said was "I know what a mature termite looks like."
The ants were around before I found these "suspect" things that may be termites. I still can't find a picture of what I'm seeing on my boat.

eliminatedsprinter
09-08-2003, 10:27 AM
I guess you just found out ants don't have wings :( . Sorry, hope you get rid of those little turdmites fast.

Ntwotrance
09-08-2003, 10:44 AM
Actually some ants do have wings. If they're reddish in color then they're ants, you have the same problem I've had from time to time. Best thing to do is spray round the tires or anywhere else that would give them access to your boat. The ants you have, based on your discription are either immature RIFA's or Argentine ants, both have winged members of the colony....

eliminatedsprinter
09-08-2003, 10:47 AM
Aren't the Argentine ants solid black?

Ntwotrance
09-08-2003, 10:51 AM
they range from red to reddish to black, I left Mirvin a email regarding this subject...just because the ants are present doesn't always mean termites, could be they're searching for water. Both types of these ants are extremely aggressive in nature....

mirvin
09-08-2003, 10:51 AM
Should I be freaking out? I've been looking at a lot of Termite/Ant pictures and from what I can tell, the bodies of these things look like Termites. They're fat and squatty with no "waiste" like an ant.
Ntwotrance, they are red and black, unlike a termite, which is why I though they were ants. The little black ants have been around for a couple weeks but yesterday was the first time I saw these other things.
I put some ant bait in there, but maybe I should pull the seats out and check the wood.

riverliver
09-08-2003, 10:51 AM
http://www.roadrunnerexterminating.com/images/local.jpg
Drywood Termites are swarming big time right now, i would bet that's what they are... Black body with a red head...

Ntwotrance
09-08-2003, 10:52 AM
can you snap a photo and send it to me?

riverliver
09-08-2003, 10:55 AM
they are drywood termites, ants don't swarm till june....
BTW I own a Exterminating co. and have been doing this for 25years....

AZKC
09-08-2003, 10:59 AM
I was about to put up the big RL searchlight :)
but he beat me to it. To the Bugmobile!!!
KC

riverliver
09-08-2003, 11:03 AM
AZKC:
I was about to put up the big RL searchlight :)
but he beat me to it. To the Bugmobile!!!
KC LOL :D
He may want to take a look at the house or fence that may be where they are swarming from.. if the boat is very old (6 to 10 ) years they may be in the boat already .....

mirvin
09-08-2003, 11:39 AM
Hey RL, where's your business located? If I find another one of these buggers I'll post a pic. What do they look like before they mature? These had wings but were short and didn't extend further back than the body, and the body was kinda short and fat, with half of it red and the other half black. Definatly did not look like a mature winged termite.
The boat is an '88 so they might just have been there. Black ants have been around for about a month. I just recently bored holes in all the bulkheads and in the rear section of the stringers because the boat was holding lots of water. Now that it's draining properly everything that has been living there is probly getting thirsty so there coming out of the woodwork so to speak.

riverliver
09-08-2003, 11:50 AM
http://www.pestweb.com/pestid/application/pestimages/IS02_06.jpg
Drywood termite are swarming now, Ant's would trail from somewhere out side of the boat into the boat, the termites will drop there wings and pair up and try and burrow into some wood...
If you boat in Havasu or another such ares durring the heat 115 / 120 the Drywood termites will not survie with these temps....
You can call me if you want my cell is 949 735 1800...
[ September 08, 2003, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: riverliver ]

mirvin
09-08-2003, 01:32 PM
RL, thanks for the info. I'll try to get a photo up for you to look at.
Another wierd thing is that they seem to have a preference for neoprene. They were all over my ski vest!!

HOSS
09-08-2003, 01:38 PM
Must have some wet wood in that floatin` flower pot. Better get ready to get rid of all that food on top of the stringers.
Damn, that sucks bro.
If`n you don`t feel any soft spots, see where they are coming from(like any stress cracks) and 5200 them mothers in there.

mirvin
09-08-2003, 01:56 PM
This is what I got!! - red x
Can you see it yet? nope
I suck + idiot = no picture
[ September 08, 2003, 03:39 PM: Message edited by: mirvin ]

HOSS
09-08-2003, 01:58 PM
Nice red x. How can you be worried about those?

mirvin
09-08-2003, 02:00 PM
Can't you imagine the embarrasment of having your boat covered in little red x's? You gotta feel for me!!!
Man, as if termites weren't bad enough.
Balls!!!!

riverliver
09-08-2003, 02:59 PM
mirvin
E-mail the pics to me at rrext@hotmail.com

Mandelon
09-08-2003, 03:10 PM
Dude. Tent that thing. Bag it and fog it! RiverLiver how much to tent that little boat???

mirvin
09-08-2003, 03:21 PM
Yes!!! I've finally been graced by the world famous Man De Lone!!!
Doncha think that if they're actually infested in the boat that they're probly just in the seats and not in the hull? Or am I just in De Nye Al?

riverliver
09-08-2003, 03:26 PM
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/510/25Termite.jpg
Or am I just in De Nye Al? ------ YES LOL jawdrop
[ September 08, 2003, 04:30 PM: Message edited by: riverliver ]

TahitiSteve
09-08-2003, 06:30 PM
Sounds like termites to me as well. Termites have wings, but don't fly very well.

mirvin
09-08-2003, 06:33 PM
Yup, that's them. Just found a few more wandering around senseless. Can't find any damage buth then again, I ai'nt looking too hard yet.
Thanks River Liver. I still can't figure out how to post a picture!!!

VillainDave
09-08-2003, 06:48 PM
riverliver:
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/510/25Termite.jpg
Or am I just in De Nye Al? ------ YES LOL jawdrop Talk about helping the stress level!

Mandelon
09-09-2003, 08:54 AM
mirvin:
Yes!!! I've finally been graced by the world famous Man De Lone!!!
LOL. Now you are worthy!!! :D
I am serious though, can't this just be tented and gassed? Riverliver, what if he parked it in a garage of a house that was getting bagged? Would that work? They could be in any wood part of the boat. What about a local treatment? Like heat gun, or microwaving????

HOSS
09-09-2003, 09:29 AM
You could always drink a 5th of Tequilla and urinate on them.

NorCal Gameshow
09-09-2003, 09:41 AM
Mandelon:
I am serious though, can't this just be tented and gassed? Riverliver, what if he parked it in a garage of a house that was getting bagged? Would that work? They could be in any wood part of the boat. What about a local treatment? Like heat gun, or microwaving???? starting that with "I am serious though" makes it funny :D
Do you mind if we put this termite infested boat in your garage while we tent your house :D

mirvin
09-09-2003, 09:50 AM
Well, I tore throught the boat pretty good last night. Couldn't really find any spots that were bad. The front bulkhead may have a termite hole in it but I'm not sure. Did alot of pounding with a ball pien hammer but nothing gave.
The boat has been sitting uncovered under an orange tree (I'm a certified genius) for the last three weeks. All of the termites were huddled in one spot clinging to my neoprene ski vest, and they were all the "king" termites that you see in the picture above.
What are the chances they just swarmed in recently and I got lucky and found them.
Denial ???

eliminatedsprinter
09-09-2003, 09:58 AM
riverliver:
http://www.pestweb.com/pestid/application/pestimages/IS02_06.jpg
Drywood termite are swarming now, Ant's would trail from somewhere out side of the boat into the boat, the termites will drop there wings and pair up and try and burrow into some wood...
If you boat in Havasu or another such ares durring the heat 115 / 120 the Drywood termites will not survie with these temps....
You can call me if you want my cell is 949 735 1800... Looks like a good reason for a trip to the river. Glass or at least resin over any exposed wood and keep that boat in the sun at needles for a week. wink

Rocket2003
09-09-2003, 10:01 AM
Mandelon:
Dude. Tent that thing. Bag it and fog it! RiverLiver how much to tent that little boat??? Definatly! There is only one way to get rid of them and that's Chemicals! eek!

Rocket2003
09-09-2003, 10:04 AM
IT WON'T WORK!
leaving in Sun, Drying out, Cutting out WILL NOT WORK! You have to kill the Queen bitch!
There are two new species of Termites in the US now (came from mexico) The new ones, don't have to go to the ground to live!
GET YOUR BOAT TENTED NOW!
[ September 09, 2003, 11:06 AM: Message edited by: Rocket2003 ]

mirvin
09-09-2003, 10:19 AM
Hey Rocket, I gotta hand it to you, you knew they were termites before I did!!!
I've identified these as "non-subterrainian" or their also referred to as "Dry Wood" termites.
Hey, if there drywood termites what the hell are they doing in my wet log???

riverliver
09-09-2003, 11:48 AM
Rocket2003:
IT WON'T WORK!
leaving in Sun, Drying out, Cutting out WILL NOT WORK! You have to kill the Queen bitch!
There are two new species of Termites in the US now (came from mexico) The new ones, don't have to go to the ground to live!
GET YOUR BOAT TENTED NOW! Drywood termites do not live in the ground, they nest in the wood and yes heat will kill them if it is hot enough.. you will not find Drywood termites in havasu area due to it is to hot you will find Subterranean termites
http://www.roadrunnerexterminating.com/images/crawl_space_sm.jpg
the new termites are Formosan (not that new)
http://www.pestweb.com/pestid/application/pestimages/IS04_05.jpg
Tenting is the best way to get rid of Drywood termites....

H20Advantage
09-09-2003, 03:48 PM
Did they look like this...
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/510/803P8210070-med.JPG
Hit so many of these coming home from Havasu I couldn't see out of the front window a few weeks ago. They were swarming right after a thunderstorm came through Needles.
[ September 09, 2003, 04:50 PM: Message edited by: H20Advantage ]

HammerDown
09-09-2003, 03:54 PM
H20Advantage:
Did they look like this...
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/510/803P8210070-med.JPG
Hit so many of these coming home from Havasu I couldn't see out of the front window a few weeks ago. They were swarming right after a thunderstorm came through Needles. Better power wash the front of your AC Condenser and Radiator.

H20Advantage
09-09-2003, 04:07 PM
I did the next day but Thanks for the tip. I probably would have forgotten but my car detailer was on top of it.
wink

eliminatedsprinter
09-09-2003, 04:15 PM
Rocket2003:
IT WON'T WORK!
leaving in Sun, Drying out, Cutting out WILL NOT WORK! You have to kill the Queen bitch!
There are two new species of Termites in the US now (came from mexico) The new ones, don't have to go to the ground to live!
GET YOUR BOAT TENTED NOW! Listen to this guy. I was kidding about the trip to the river. That's why I ended with wink .