Ants nesting in dead branches use the limbs as a bridge to the house.
Ants behind vinyl siding.
Unfortunately it also gave cover and safe harborage to many pests.
If it can t be found once you pull the siding you ll need to find some other way to locate it and get the dust in there.
But with carpenter ants you really need to find the nest which is probably in wood somewhere underneath that siding.
Examine your foundation for cracks and tightly seal.
Unlike termites carpenter ants do not actually eat wood.
If winged ants come out of crevices around your home this is a strong sign that you have a serious ant problem.
And you need to make sure you treat that with a strong insecticide.
No animal insect or bacteria likes bleach.
If you notice the ants carting off their eggs then they are moving out.
They burrow into it to make their nests so they leave behind a wood dust.
The holes are often located between bricks where mortar has fallen out under lap siding or in cracks in stucco.
As most of the posters said water or moisture is the reason they are there.
Earwigs roaches ants wasps and bees just to name a few often find your homes siding a perfect place where they can feel protected too.
If you are leaving the siding off for a short period of time to dry out i would get a spray container and fill it with a bleach solution then spray the area.
If you frequently see ants in the same area on the siding there s probably a nest in there.
How to get rid of ants begin with looking for holes in the siding where ants are crawling in and out.