Carpender ants in a silver maple?

[Talon1189]

I appear to have a carpenter ant issue in a 60 year old silver maple tree. There is a 2 inch hole in one of the openings with ants present I sprayed soapy water inside of the hole. I think that these pest have had there way with this tree. I do not want to lose this 60+ foot tree. I was thinking about spraying the abscessed area with "Sevin" and spraying the abscessed area with a common expanding spray foam. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks!

[Tom C zone 4/5]

Originally Posted by Talon1189

I think that these pests have had there way with this tree. I do not want to lose this 60+ foot tree. I was thinking about spraying the abscessed area with "Sevin" and spraying the abscessed area with a common expanding spray foam. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks!

What is underneath it? Good wishes will not impede its fall.

[Talon1189]

Originally Posted by Tom C zone 4/5

What is underneath it? Good wishes will not impede its fall.

The ants are only seen though a 2 inch hole from a branch that was cut off about ten years ago.

[RayR]

Is the wood soft and rotted where the ants are seen?

[matereater]

I doubt soapy water is going to do much if anything to the ants, you're going to need a stronger insecticide like Malathion or Isotox to kill them, the biggest problem is getting it inside the "nest" to kill the majority. Try to find something you can work into the cavity as far as possible and pump the insecticide in. I would suggest spraying on a regular basis to kill as many as possible before plugging the hole.

Good Luck!! I hate carpenter ants!!!

[bcday]

Is this hole in the trunk of the tree? How far into the tree does the opening go? Is the trunk hollow? In my opinion you need to call a local tree service to come and look at this tree and tell you whether it is safe to try to keep it. Sevin will kill the ants but I don't think you should spray expanding foam or put any other kind of filler into the hole until a tree expert looks at the tree to assess its condition.

Getting rid of the ants might not be your biggest problem with this tree. What would be the cost to repair/replace whatever the tree might fall on if the tree has become weakened?

I recently had a 75 year old silver maple maybe 65'-70' high and wide taken down. I loved that tree and it was healthy and solid, no holes or ants, but one large branch 2 feet in diameter and weighing about 4 tons could have come down on a neighbor's house in an ice storm. A smaller 3-ton branch 20" in diameter would have come down on the garage. The tree was just too big for the location it was in and it was time for it to come out of there.

[RayR]

I had carpenter ants in my Crimson Maple a few years back. The wood was soft and spongy where the ants were nesting. I asked a arborist that I knew what I should do. He said just tear out the bark from that area and all the rotted wood the best you can and let the birds and other predators do the rest. I went at it with a crowbar and a screw driver. It worked, the ants disappeared and the wounded area healed.

[Gobig_or_Gohome_toms]

I always thought around here silver maples grew very fast and did not last much more then 20 or so years. not being a tree guy this is just what I thought I had heard but am probably wrong.

Craig