Carpenter Ants

I've learned more than I ever wanted to know about carpenter ants in the last few days.

They have been swarming in my living space for several days and today was the worst!  The ceiling in the corner was black with them.  They really pinch, too and they don't die easily when you step on them.  They've been parading across the curtain rods and getting into everything.  I've been to Staples three times in the last three days to buy boxes--15 for $15 is the sale this week.  I've already packed up more than 40 boxes and have about 20 more to use before I go shopping tomorrow or even later tonight.  I have an exterminator coming on Tuesday morning so I have to box up everything I can in my living space before then.  I have boxes stacked to the ceiling away from the area where the ants appear to be.

I'm also looking for a real carpenter to tear out the sliding glass doors and put in a window and replace the rest of the wall.  I'm pretty sure that's where the carpenter ants have been living since water damage a couple of years ago around that door.  The exterminator told me that I've probably had them in the house for at least a year or two but this is the first swarming of them.

I've had the door to the porch open all day but they are not interested in going outside.  I hate bugs!  and these things are creepy!  And now they are mating and laying more eggs...thousands of them.  YUCK YUCK YUCK