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How To Remove Ant Hills From Your Lawn

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Final Thoughts On Ant Hill Removal

How do I get Rid of Ant Hills? | Pest Support

Thankfully, getting rid of ants hills in your yard or around your house isn’t THAT hard. Compared to other pests , there are plenty of effective products and methods of removal you can try out.

Once you figure out a way that works, you can usually rely on that strategy for a long time to continue working!

Home Made Ant Killers Vs Professional Products

If you want to completely get rid of the ants in your lawn you need to target the source. In other words, the nest.

There are a few ways to kill ants nests which include home remedies and specific ant killers. Home remedies have their drawbacks and Id recommend you use a proper ant killer but in the interest of being thorough, Ill cover both.

How To Get Rid Of Ants In Your Lawn And Yard

If you have ants in your lawn, you should get rid of them fast before they cause damage to your grass, and even any plants and flowers you may have. Heres what you need to do!

A well-kept lawn is a thing of beauty, and its the reason we all spend a few hours each week caring for it. Raking up leaves, treating it with weed killer, and of course, mowing the grass to perfection.

This time spent is why it is soul-destroying when you realize ants have invaded and decided to take up residence in your prized patch of turf.

Ants can cause significant damage to your lawn if left untreated, reversing years of tender loving grass care. And not only that, but they can also create problems in other areas of your yard.

So, if youre here to get the lowdown on how to get rid of ants in your lawn or yard, youre in the right place.

We are going to explain everything you need to know about ants. From the signs that theyve invaded, to what type of ants are likely to have taken up residence.

Then we will cover the types of products you can use to eradicate them and stop them from coming back.

So, put the kettle on, sit back, relax, and take it all in.

Note: You should check out our accompanying guide to the best ant killers for lawns, to find the best products to solve your yard ant problems!

What You’ll Learn

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Can Ants Cause Health Issues

Can ants cause health issues? Although ants are just a nuisance, they can pose serious health issues for the homeowner and their family. Did you know you may even catch E. coli from ants? Lets look into this a little more below.

As discussed above, ants will send out scouts looking for food and resources. Anthills in your lawn surrounding your home mean that ants will eventually end up in your home. As they roam all over the home, they pick up germs and bacteria, and this can get deposited onto food that you may not lock away in airtight containers.

The ants can contract other bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, and E.coli while they roam around bathroom areas in your home. Again these can be passed onto humans or your beloved pets as the ants clamber over the food and preparation areas of the kitchen.

Ants can also contract Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Clostridium. It is usually contracted from feces that the ants have crawled over outside. It again is passed on to you through food prep areas. You cannot catch any of these diseases through stings and bites.

Professional Prevention Of Ants

How to Get Rid of Ant Hills in Your Yard, Naturally, Home ...

The most effective and safe way to eliminate ants around the interior and exterior of your home is to call a pest control professional. The experience and know-how that a pest control specialist has paired with the right products and tools is a deadly combination guaranteed to get the job done. Before you contact a pest control specialist, consider how rain affects pest control.

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How To Find Ant Nests

If your lawn and yard are covered in ants, its time to go after the entire colony. Attacking them at the source is the best way to get rid of them pronto.

But often, finding the settlement is easier said than done. After all, weve all seen ants disappear through cracks in walls and under baseboards.

But persevere. And by following multiple ants across your lawn or yard, you are likely to establish a common area that they appear to head towards and vanish.

All you need is the ballpark area, not an exact location. Anthills make it easy, but if there isnt any, you will need to observe them walking their trails. But be aware that ants rarely walk in a straight line.

Be patient, and youll eventually be able to narrow down where the nest is.

How To Get Rid Of Ants In Your Lawn

It might seem easy to get rid of ants in your backyard, but be sure youre not also getting rid of your grass at the same time! A lot of ant-killing chemicals can destroy your grass, creating yet another lawn problem. Home remedies for ants can help remove the problem without removing your grass.

Here are 5 ways to get rid of ants in your lawn:

  • Rake ant mounds. It sounds too simple to work, but its the first and best step toward killing the ants in your lawn. Most ants prefer dry, sandy soil, and if an ant mound is left long enough, the mound can start to harden, protecting the nest and making it difficult to remove. By raking the mounds and spreading the dirt around, you can continually disturb the ants and their network of tunnels and entrances, making it less likely that they stay.
  • Spray soap and water. Choose an eco-friendly soap and spray in and around the mounds. Dont make the water too hot , but room temperature water is fine. By diluting the soap, youre lessening the chances of the soap interfering with your grass, and youre making it very difficult for ants to live.
  • Use chili pepper. This one is a big maybe. Some say it works to repel ants, and others call it a old wives tale. It definitely cant hurt, but its not proven.
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    Chemical Methods Of Killing Ants In Your Lawn

    Despite being environmentally friendly, most natural methods take time to eliminate the ants in your lawn. The natural components used in these methods are not as lethal in destroying ants compared to using chemicals. Therefore, if you need instant results, you can turn to the chemical treatments discussed below.

    Using Ant Hill Killer Treatments

    Applying ant killer treatments is one way of killing antsoutdoors if youve numerous ant hills within your home. Although, you should bevery careful and wear protective clothing when applying this treatment becausethis technique involves using chemicals that may harm you if not handledproperly. There are two main types of ant killer treatments. They include:

    • Anthill killer gels.
    • Anthill killer poison

    Anthill killer gels

    Most garden centers sell an ant poison that comes in gel form. It works the same way as food-grade diatomaceous earth. Ants are attracted to this sweet gel, which is carried into the ant nest for the queen and her colony to feast upon. Despite being poisonous, the gel is environmentally friendly and doesnt affect your garden or lawn.

    Anthill killer poison.

    Ant killer poisons are mostly available in powder form. These forms of ant poison are best used on anthills since they affect plants and may alter the soil composition due to their toxicity. You should make the application into the nests after digging them open.

    Using Ant Bait Stations

    Applying Insecticides to Your Lawn

    Professional extermination.

    How To Get Rid Of Ant Hills

    Protect your lawn from ants

    The best way to kill ant hills is by wiping out the whole colony. For this to happen, youll need to kill the queen ants, who usually reside two to three feet below the ground.

    Ant nests can last for many years, with worker ants excavating it, fighting off any predators, and feeding their queen and larvae. Dont allow the nests to give you endless grief by using one of the solutions below.

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    Killing Ants In Your Lawn With Chemicals

    Spot control is the best method for killing ants. They tend to concentrate in a small area and spot application isolates the chemical zone and minimizes damage to beneficial insects who also call the grass home.

    Use either a spray or granular form. Locate the nest and apply the chemical as indicated on the label. Granular forms require activation with water, so it is best to irrigate after applying the chemical. In all cases, wait until a treated area has dried before allowing children and pets into the toxic zone.

    Ants can be a blessing and a curse, so consider the severity of the problem before resorting to chemical treatments. Their activity is also a natural pest control and can increase the tilth of soil, acting as wild aerators to loosen the dirt around roots and enhance growth.

    If The Problem Is Ant Mounds In The Middle Of Your Lawn You Have Two Choices:

    1) Let go of the picture-perfect lawn

    If the only reason you want to get rid of an ant nest is because it ruins the picture-perfect lawn, then the best way to deal with it is to let go of the image. The lawn is fine. Spend the time and frustration that youd otherwise be using trying out different solutions on something more relaxing than battling nature.

    Or take a look at suggestion #1 in the next section.

    2) Rake the mounds to a ¼ over grass on a weekly basis

    Keeping soil in a mound to ¼ will help keep the grass under the mound alive and you wont see a mound anymore. Remember, the ants arent actually living in the mounds. Theyre just the aftermath of their tunnel digging. Even if you cover up the tunnels, the ants will have other tunnel entrances to use, hopefully in more discrete locations.

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    Natural & Home Made Methods Vs Artificial Methods

    Killing ants in your lawn can either be done via natural & homemade methods or artificial methods. If you want to eliminate the ants in your home, you first need to target the source. In this case, the nest. There are several ways to destroy ant nests this includes natural methods or using specific chemicals to kill these ants.

    Using home remedies has its drawbacks, and sometimes itsslower. On the other hand, chemicals are effective but may end up destroyingyour lawn. But in the interest of being comprehensive, Ill cover both methodsof killing ants in your lawn.

    Which Ants Do You Have Types Of Ants To Look For

    When Ant Hills Are Covering Your Lawn, Parkway Can Help!

    Understanding the type of ant you are dealing with is essential.

    Many common species are susceptible to ant killers. But a few are exceptionally hardy and require specially formulated products to eradicate them.

    So you need to know the species of ants in your lawn, before you can tackle and get rid of them.

    Here are the common types of ant you may encounter in your yard and on your lawn:

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    Lawn Care And Ant Hills

    The mounds and hills formed by ant colonies are not the only issue with these fascinating insects. Many species also have an interest in ranching, and will farm aphids and mealybugs, protecting them and assisting their daily needs in order to keep a local source of honeydew.

    Honeydew is the substance secreted by aphids and mealybugs and is something of a delicacy to ants. Having a colony of farming ants can mean real trouble for your veggies and ornamental plants, the food of choice for mealybugs and aphids. Controlling ants in the lawn is a good way to minimize the population of these pest insects.

    Ants prefer dry, well-drained soil in an undisturbed low traffic area. Lawn dwelling ants are generally not an issue because these are not the stinging sort but some species have a habit of undermining grass roots and can cause large dead patches in the lawn.

    Another issue is ant hills in grass, which can become large and pose a tripping hazard and make mowing difficult. For low populations, raking will be a regular maintenance for lawn care and ant hills. Simply raking out the hills will scatter the population and reduce hardened mounds from occurring. This simple step is effective if done on a weekly basis from fall to summer.

    Why Do I Have Ant Hills In My Yard

    When looking for a way to destroy ant hills, its good to have some basic understanding of the makeup of the hills themselves. Contrary to popular belief, the ants dont usually live in the mounds you see in your yard.

    Ants build a network of tunnels and chambers deep into the ground to shelter their colonies and store food. As they dig, they carry the displaced soil particles out of the burrows. The mound of dirt you see above the ground is the entrance and exit to an underground ant colony.

    Flattening out an ant mound usually results in another one popping up after a few days. Thats because the ants will start rebuilding shortly afterward.

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    The Real Reason Anthills Keep Popping Up In Your Yard

    When it comes to maintaining your lawns lush, green appearance, unsightly objects like anthills can serve as a major frustration. So, I did some research to get to the bottom of why ants are so determined to build in beautiful yards.

    So, why does my lawn have so many anthills? Like many other creatures, ants are after three things: food, water, and shelter. If your lawn has those three things readily available, ants will likely choose to nest there, resulting in unsightly anthills throughout your landscape.

    No matter how obsessive you are about your lawn, once ants decide to take over, it takes the right methods and approach to get rid of them. Anthills pose a threat to your lawns appearance and your homes overall curb appeal. The mounds of granular dirt often appear in sidewalk cracks, around the foundation of your home or patio, as well as along fence rows where the ants are protected against mower, weed eater and foot traffic. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to rid your yard of the unattractive mounds.

    How Can We Control Ants In Our Lawn

    How to get rid of ants in your lawn for $2

    Unless their nests are causing specific issues, they are best left alone. Even if you can destroy a colony, it is likely that it will quickly be re-colonised and the whole process will commence again.

    There are some DIY products which might help control ants, such as ant powder. This can be applied by creating deep holes directly into the ants nest with a garden fork or spike. The holes can then be filled with the powder. For a biological approach, Nemasys Nematode ant killer can be applied between April and October. There have been some reports of good results with these when used against ants.

    Some people use boiling water to kill these ants, but this isnt a good idea as can result in scorched patches of turf which are then vulnerable to being colonised by weeds. Its better to water the ant hill regularly with cold water as this wont kill the turf but will disturb the ants and encourage them to move on. In general, they prefer dry conditions, so a well-watered lawn may discourage them.

    For the anthills themselves, wait for a dry day and scrape them off with a shovel, or brush them vigorously with a stiff broom to scatter the soil over the lawn and reseed any bare areas. The soil has been nicely tilled and aerated by the ants, so think of it as some free top dressing!

    Unit 7

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    Ant Prevention: Eliminate Safe Havens For Ants

    • Trim back bushes, shrubs and trees that brush against your siding or roof that provide a bridge for ants to reach your house.
    • Keep a 3-in. to 6-in. clearance space between the soil around the foundation and the bottom row of siding to prevent ants from nesting in the siding .
    • Avoid stacking firewood next to the house. Firewood makes a perfect retreat for ants.

    Is There A Natural Way To Destroy Ant Hills

    There are several natural substances and deterrents that you can use to deal with your outdoor ant problem. They offer the least expensive method of destroying ant hills.

    Lets find out what these natural solutions are:

    • Carbonated waterThe carbon dioxide in carbonated water displaces the oxygen in the ant nest. This suffocates the lower levels of the nest, killing the queen. Depending on how deep the nest runs, you may have to pour a liter of the water or more over the hill.
    • Pipe tobacco and waterAn excellent way of destroying ant colonies is using nicotine-infused water. The same pipe tobacco that can harm your health can also affect ants. It can quickly eliminate a colony. Soak the tobacco overnight. Discard the wet tobacco in the morning and pour the liquid over the ant hills.

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    Dawn Can Be A Potent Ant Exterminator

    Dawn is a dish washing agent that can be used to kill ants without harming the grass. Mix two teaspoons of Dawn with four tablespoons of baking soda and one gallon of water. This wont hurt the grass and other plants in your yard but is very deadly to pesky ants.

    Locate where the ants are nesting and pour this mixture directly into their nest. If you want, you can hose the mixture into the nest to inundate the whole colony. This exterminator is particularly effective to fire ants the red-colored ones.

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