Destroy Your Lawn And Garden
Ants are opportunistic omnivores. If you havent treated your garden, ant activity can decimate it in a matter of days.
Farming ants, one of the most common species, secrete hormones from their exoskeletons to attract their prey. This prey includes aphids and other small insects. So what started as a farming ant infestation in your garden will become an aphid infestation as well.
Field ants create massive mounds that burst above the ground. Not only are these mounds unsightly, but they can also cause real damage to your yard. The field ants inside them will feed on your grass and will dig holes in the earth to construct their mound.
To make matters worse, a colony that begins as a tiny anthill will grow and multiply at a rapid rate, and eventually wreck the home and garden youve worked so hard to maintain.
Take Action Against Ants
Knocking out one colony or one infestation in your yard isnt going to keep the next troop of ants from discovering your lawn. You cant eliminate ants from an outdoor area, nor do you want to. But keep them out of your buildings and off your preferred plants.
If ants have become a nuisance on your property, contact a professional exterminator to identify, treat, and take steps to prevent future problems.
Main Image Credit: Bill Hails / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
How To Reduce The Amount Of Ants In Your Garden
Common ants thrive in lawns and garden beds that are struggling, dry, bare or patchy. As soon as the lawn and garden is thick, green and lush, the ants tend to disappear on their own, and are far less prolific. By improving the general health and quality of your garden you can reduce and even eliminate your ant problem in a totally natural and organic way.
Here are 4 tips to get you started:
This alternative recommendation to you will take more time for you to achieve results than a quick knockdown spray. However, it will be the better solution and your money will be better spent long-term improving the overall garden health.
We hope this information is helpful to you, please let us know if there is anything more we can do to assist you.
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Tip # 0: Using Borax Powder And Sugar:
The results of using borax powder are as like as cornflower. It will work with more or less 24 hours. Below the recipe is for your application to your plants in the lawn and the garden. The recipe is:
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Cayenne Can Kill Ants
Cayenne is a potent agent against insects but will not harm grass. Get a whisk and mix three tablespoons of cayenne pepper sauce with 1 quart of water and ½ teaspoon of liquid dish soap in a bowl. Put this mixture in a spray bottle.
Locate the ant nest and spray generous amounts of this mixture. You can also pour some of it into the nest. The capsicum element in the cayenne sauce and the soap components are deadly to ants and these will cause their extermination.
Are Some Ants Good For Your Lawn And Garden
Most of the ants are not a potential threat to your lawn. Anthills or mounds can be a cause of nuisance but in return, some ants help in soil aeration, pollination, seed dispersal, and protect your lawn from aphids. Ants eat up aphids, bugs, and other pests that can harm your lawn or garden. Ants facilitate the redistribution of nutrients in the soil, act as scavengers and decompose dead material and insects into fertilizer which helps in plant growth.
They patrol all over your lawn and protect your vegetation from plant-eating insects. They also help in flowering by eating the sticky outer layer around the buds which is a great food source for ants. However, keep an eye on the ant colonies in your lawn because established larger ant colonies can do more harm than help.
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How To Identify A Sugar Ant Infestation
Its not that hard actually and the most common signs are:
- An increasing number of ants crawling around in your home. Once the sugar ants find a convenient source of food, they will not leave. So, concentrate on inspecting your kitchen in detail.
- Signs of wooden furniture damage, as sugar ants are known to chew on wood.
- Visible nesting sites, which could be around your home or inside, usually in crevices or behind skirting boards.
As we mentioned earlier, sugar ants are physically similar to many other ant species. That makes it a bit difficult to determine whether you are indeed attacked by sugar ants or by carpenter ants, for example.
The only secure way of knowing is to call for a professional in the second you think there might be an actual infestation. They have the ability to tell the different species apart and will choose the most effective treatment to save you from the invasion.
Pretty sure you have banded sugar ants?
Letâs get in touch and deal with your infestation!
Bites And Stings Can Be Dangerous
You already know about my unfortunate run-in with fire ants, and it should be used as a cautionary tale. An ant will bite you if it feels threatened, and, considering the size difference, I would say most species of the insect would feel threatened by us.
Ant bites are certainly painful, but the bite alone is not hazardous to your health. The real problem with bites is the risk of secondary bacterial infection they pose something scratching will only worsen.
And believe me, I completely understand the relief that comes from scratching that itch. But that can lead to infection. If the area is not properly cleaned and cared for, you could get something like cellulitis, or a serious bacterial skin infection.
Some species of ants can inject a small amount of venom when they bite, like the ones I encountered at Fort Benning. While my experience was certainly painful and unpleasant, there are people out there who would have had it way worse: those that are allergic to ant venom. Their allergic reactions are characterized by a swelling of the throat and tongue, nausea and severe stomach cramps, tightening across the upper torso, dizziness, and trouble breathing.
That sounds terrible, but it gets worse.
That little ant in your grass doesnt seem so little anymore, does it?
There are many other types of pests that can be living on your property. If you have wild violets that you are looking to get rid of, make sure to check out our article on the topic!
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Is There A Way To Kill The Ants Without Killing The Grass
But what about the beautiful grass that you have worked so hard to cultivate? Will they be destroyed if you will just use any kind of insect repellant to kill the ants? Lets examine this subject and discover if there are ways to kill the ants without killing the grass.
Yes, There Are Several Ways To Do It.
Thankfully, there are several ways to eliminate the ants without destroying your beautiful grass. But you really need to do it fast since ants are good at breaking the good news to their colonies. If they find a good food source in your garden, thousands of them will soon crawl over your yard.
Ants Colonies Dont Like Cinnamon
Cinnamon is also an excellent option for ants and stopping ant hills. When ants inhale the scent of cinnamon, they suffocate to death.
You can sprinkle ground cinnamon on the ants path or around anthill openings. You can also use cinnamon essential oil to repel ants.
Mix a few drops of this oil with water and spray on anthills, trails, and anywhere around your lawn where you notice ant colonies.
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Controlling Ants In Your Lawn
You will know if a colony of ants move into your lawn. Its not difficult to spot the creatures at work, and as the colony grows, so does the heap of displaced soil.
Waiting for a dry day and just brushing the soil away will help to keep your lawn looking tidy. It wont hurt the ants or get rid of the colony because they are living underground. If you really cant bear them living under your lawn, you have two options. Chemical control, or biological control.
As you know, Id rather avoid the use of chemicals on the lawn, but I will talk you through the options in a moment. For now, lets look at the options for more eco-friendly ant control.
How To Get Rid Of Ants In The Lawn
Ants in the lawn can be annoying, unsightly and sometimes painful! Being able to enjoy your backyard is a right for all homeowners. Certainly, if you have children and pets, you want them to be able to enjoy playing on the lawn without getting bitten.
Ants that set up home in and around your lawn tend to be ants that bite or sting. Green headed ants will be well known to many people giving a painful sting that may itch for several days afterwards. But there are a number of smaller, faster moving ants that also give a mild sting or bite â not as painful, but still annoying.
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How To Get Rid Of Ants In The Yard For Good
Depending on the type of ant you have, they can pose a threat to your homes stability and also be a risk to people with sensitive skin. Ants also can bring other pests alongside them and even make their way indoors. If you want to learn how to get rid of ants in your yard, this guide will teach you all you need to know and provide excellent natural remedies like vinegar and baking soda.
How To Kill Fire Ants
Getting rid of a fire ant nest near your property will take more than just a hope and a prayer. If youre looking to eliminate fire ants using the fastest and most efficient methods possible, its a good idea to consider a holistic approach that utilizes bait products, broadcast treatments, and natural remedies such as dish soap or diatomaceous earth.
Below are a few natural remedies of fire ant pest control:
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the yard. This lightweight powder does not affect humans in any way, but microscopic shards in the powdery substances will quickly cut through an ants exoskeleton.
- Pour three gallons of hot water onto the fire ant mounds in your yard. Research indicates that the hot water method is effective at least 60% of the time. Keep in mind that any vegetation that touches the boiling water may scald and die.
- Use the power of spicy food to keep fire ant colonies far away from the home. Take a quart of boiling water combined with four sliced cayenne peppers in a glass jar. Next, create a circle of powdered cayenne pepper around the whole colony and pour the hot pepper water directly on the ant mound. The results should be close to immediate.
Heres how to get rid of fire ants inside your property using insecticidal methods.
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How To Kill Ants In Your Lawn
The first step is to identify any nests around your property. Look under rocks, logs and other debris, and along paths, driveways and between pavers.
You can sprinkle bait granules around the outside of the undisturbed mound, or break it open with a stick or garden implement and pour your chosen treatment into the nest.
Ants are at their most aggressive when their nests are disturbed, and can quickly deliver a painful bite or sting, so wear protective gear and be prepared to move fast.
Once youve located and treated all the nests, use a barrier spray or gel to stop Ants from getting into the house where they can make a new nest.
Easy Ways To Repel Ants
To lower the chances of ants wandering indoors, follow these easy tips.
- Make a barrier. Place a substance that ants dislike along door thresholds, window ledges, baseboards anywhere ants might enter your home. Ants dislike cinnamon, cayenne pepper, ground chalk and cornmeal.
- Spritz vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with equal amounts common white vinegar and water. Spray where ants enter your home.
- Peel citrus. Save and dry citrus peels . Place dried peels in a food processor or grinder and pulse them into powder. Sprinkle powdered peels in areas where ants enter the home.
- Use oils. Essential oils including peppermint, tea tree and citrus types repel ants. Blend 1/4-cup of water with 7 drops of citrus oil or 15 drops of tea tree or peppermint oils. Shake well and spray along baseboards, windowsills or other places ants enter your home. Or place a few drops of orange, lemon or peppermint oil on cotton balls and tuck into cabinets or pantry areas to keep ants out.
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How To Get Rid Of Ant Hills In Your Yard And Garden
This post How to Get Rid of Ant Hills in Your Yard and Garden contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission off these links at no additional cost to you.
How to Get Rid of Ant Hills in Your Yard and GardenI dont like ants and I certainly dont like ant hills. When I noticed not one but three ant hills in the yard, I knew it was time to take action.
I wanted a solution that was simple and inexpensive, plus gentle to my lawn.
There is no point in destroying an ant hill if it is going to kill your lawn too, right? Right!
Here is how to get rid of ant hills in your yard and garden using just two ingredients. You can make it in minutes, and in less than 24 hours your ant hill issues will be handled.
This solution is gentle on grass and wont pose issues to your pets, either!
How to Get Rid of Ant Hills in Just TWO STEPS!Lets get those ant hills taken care of, shall we? As soon as you locate an ant hill in your yard, this is what you can do.
First of all, dont freak out. Solving this issue is simple and requires minimal effort.
Supplies needed: Dawn dish soap heat safe pitcher
If you are interested in buying in bulk, I was able to find a good deal on
Otherwise you should be able to find the rest of these supplies right in your own kitchen. Thats what I love about this budget friendly tutorial, you can do it for pennies if not free.
Directions:1. Start by boiling 4 cups of water. I use about 4 cups per patch of ant hills and it seems to be plenty.
To Keep Ants Out Of Your Home Try These Techniques
- Baking soda. Mix equal parts baking soda and powdered sugar and place in a small lid or shallow container in the area where you’re seeing ants. When ants nibble baking soda, it reacts with an acidic material in their stomachs and kills them. This bait can help kill ants in the nest.
- Borax. Make a colony-killing bait by blending equal parts Borax and corn syrup. Smear on a small piece of cardboard or index card. Ants love corn syrup, and when they eat it, the Borax kills them.
- Diatomaceous earth . Sprinkle food-grade DE along ant trails. DE kills ants through dehydration. It affects only those ants that come into contact with it and has no effect on ants in the nest.
- Commercial bait. Most indoor ants like sweet food, which is commonly found in gel ant baits. Place gel in areas where ants are crawling. Squeeze gel into cracks, or place a pea-size amount onto a piece of masking tape to keep gel off surfaces. If you have children or pets, use gel only in areas they can’t reach. Fully enclosed plastic bait stations are a good choice for use around pets and kids, although some pups may try to chew them.
- Castile soap. Make a spray of 1/4-cup Castile liquid soap and 1 quart of water. This spray kills ants on contact. It’s effective against scout ants but wont kill ants back in the nest.
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