In somewhere around 50 years of gardening I have not found that wood chip mulches are either more, or less, atractive to Carpenter Ants, or termites, than anything else. Most termite species only dine on dry wood although they live in moist environments. Carpenter ants dolike to muck around in moist wood and their presence in your house is an indication of a problem. Both of these are part of Ma Natures recycling manhine and, as long as they are not in your house, do not require any control.

doctorsteve, I live in Florida which has been called (among other names) the termite capital of the world. I have also seen the damage that termites can do if unnoticed. And yes, I have seen and treated termites in mulched areas close to my house. The current trend of protecting the inside of the house without treating the inside of the house, is a concept which I whole heartedly support. Therefore I would mulch with the most effective material BUT I will inspect my whole landscape, in a regimented fashion, to satisfy myself that I do not have an incipient problem. I would hope to catch problems early because I know that it is much more holistic to treat a landscape problem in its earliest stage.