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Part 2. Removing the Ant Population. 1. Use the toxic bait method. This method is best to use if the nest is hidden or inaccessible. You'll use toxic bait to lure the ants out of the nest; they'll carry it back to the nest, and within about three days the ant population will be poisoned. Buy some carpenter ant toxic gel bait and mix it with a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of milk. Set some out near where you suspect the ants live. Wait for the ants to come out and take the bait. It is essential that the bait you use be slow acting. If it kills the worker ants on their way back to the nest, the thousands of ants still back at the nest won't be affected. Choose a bait that takes about three days to work. Never spray the line of carpenter ants you see coming from the nest with insecticide. This won't harm the ants still lying in wait, and could actually cause them to sense danger and spread out to build more nests. If you have pets or small children, tamper-resistant bait stations are a safer option for dispensing toxic baits. 2. Destroy the nest with direct dusting. This method is effective when you can access the nest easily and apply carpenter ant dust directly to the queen and the entire colony. Choose a carpenter ant dust and follow the instructions on the package to apply the dust to the nest. Diatomaceous earth is a natural, nontoxic dust that can be used to kill carpenter ants without bringing poisons into your home. Other chemical dust such as Delta Dust and Drione Pest Insecticide Dust is also effective, but it does contain toxins and could pose health risks to pets and children. 3. Try a boric acid bait. Buy boric acid at a garden supply store. Mix with powdered sugar, in a ratio of about 1/3 sugar to 2/3 boric acid. Fill bottle caps with the mixture. Set down around the area where you observe the ants. When they return it to the nest, it will kill the ants in the nest. Boric acid penetrates the ant's body and dissolves inside of the ant.