Check And Remove Potential Habitats
Before you attempt to remove all potential ant habitats, please note the following important message: fire ants, harvester ants and maybe allegheny mound ants are the main ant pests you should limit in your lawn. Other ants should be welcome within a lawn and will help your grass thrive.
Sunday ProTip: Consider removing objects that ants are nesting under, including stones and landscape fabric near the foundation outdoors.
Tips To Get Rid Of Ants In Lawn
Once ants become established in your lawn, they can be hard to evict, but its far from an impossible task so if this is a problem youre dealing with, here are our top 13 tips to get rid of ants in lawn.
For a preview of a couple of the methods were going to be talking about, you can check out this video before reading on.
How To Control Ants In Your Lawn
Im all for nurturing a healthy ecosystem, but sometimes you dont want to have an ecosystem crawling all over your picnic and up the leg of your shorts. In this blog, were looking at ways of controlling ants in your lawn.
Ants are amazing little creatures. They have truly sophisticated societies and are just as well organised and as busy as bees are.
In the garden, ants help to aerate the soil, to break down dead plant material and to eat pests such as mites and lava. They are fascinating insects and an important part of the ecosystem. But, as I said in the introduction, nobody welcomes an ecosystem invading their summer afternoon.
On a lawn, ants do very little direct damage. They dont seem to eat the grass or its roots. However, they do create ant hills. Mounds of earth that ruin the look of a lawn, make the surface uneven for mowing and potentially create areas of bare soil for weeds to colonise. For the most part, theyre a nuisance rather than a threat.
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Professional Ant Killing Products
For the most reliable, quickest results, choose a product that is specifically designed for killing ants.
I have also found there is no one solution to killing ants. It is always best to use a multi pronged approach to give you the best chance of removing them.
I recommend Home Defence products to homeowners as they are usually enough to get the job done.
I use their products in a 3 stage solution:
- Stage 1 Fast acting killer spray: quickly kills ants you have in around the house.
- Stage 2- Ant killer granules: apply on ants and on to the ant nest to kill the colony.
- Stage 3- Ant bait stations: can be left around the garden/house for any remaining ants to feed on and take back to the nest.
Fast Acting Ant Killer Spray
This is usually used on the first stage when you first find the ants and just want to remove them from the area.
While this is not designed to be used on your lawn directly, the ant killer spray is highly effective at killing ants quickly in and around the house.
I would not recommend wasting your time spraying ants around your whole garden, as there are other solutions for that.
Just use this in the areas in and around your home.
Ant Killer Granules
After you killed ants in and around the home, its time to go after the colony.
The ant killer granules can be used to kill ants in two ways:
If you know where the nest is, it would be wise to use both methods above.
Depending on the size of the nest, you may need a second application a month later.
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:
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How To Kill Ants In The Lawn Without Killing Grass
For a safer and cheaper solution, you can use natural methods or home remedies to get rid of ants from your lawn or garden. The DIY home remedies can help to eradicate the ant colonies without damaging your lawn. In the following section, we have given some effective and easy to do home remedies for getting rid of the ants in your lawn.
Soapy Water
Soapy water is one of the best home remedies to get rid of the ant infestation from your lawn. To prepare a soapy water spray, mix 1.5 tablespoons of oil, half teaspoon of liquid soap in one quart of water.
Pour the solution in a bottle and spray the solution at the entry points of mounds. Do not spray directly on the grass in order to avoid plant loss. The soap water enters the exoskeleton of the ants and suffocates them to death.
Vinegar Solution
To prepare vinegar solution mix equal parts of white vinegar and water. Directly pouring the white vinegar over the mound can help to get rid of the ant colony. It does not damage the plants in your lawn and instantly kills the ants due to its acidic nature.
DIY Ant Baits
You can prepare honey, sugar, or peanut butter baits by mixing boric acid in it until it becomes a paste. Change the bait according to the infested ant species. It may be a slow-acting process but it wont cause any harm to your grass or other plants.
Chilli Powder
Insect Repellent Plants
Diatomaceous Earth
Facts To Bear In Mind
Over 30 ant species inhabit the United Kingdom. The most commonly-found ones are black ants , yellow meadow ants , red ants and wood ants .
These different ant species have different levels of resistance and susceptibility to the ant-control methods outlined underneath.
For instance, a black ants nest is very likely to be wiped out by bait stations but the same cant be said for those of wood ants. Likewise, a red ants nest is equally likely to be very adversely impacted by the sugar-borax method but not a black ants nest.
On the other hand, neither of these methods will make much of a dent in a yellow meadow ants nest.
Therefore, if one method does not work, do not be discouraged but try another one. Avoid trying to mix and match methods as one method may attenuate the efficacy of the other. Choose one method and stick with it until it succeeds or fails.
Most of the well-known commercial insecticides and applications for reducing the presence of ants are formulated for use in dwellings and other buildings.
These are not meant for use in the garden and may well cause damage to plant life. Also, though these applications will certainly kill ants in exposed locations except for ant bait stations they will not be of any effect in eliminating an ants nest.
Some ants nests are so made that one cannot see any entry/exit holes. In such a case, you will need to observe the ants nest for some time to spot the worker ants foraging pathways their supply lines.
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What Is Inside An Ant Hill
On the most basic level, ant hills are simply a pile of dirt . But many ant species have developed far more complicated building techniques.
Ant mounds may contain gravel or small pebbles, leaves, pine needles, sand, and even tree resin. Some exotic species even mix sand and tiny sticks with mud to make a form of adobe for their entrances. Survivalists will sometimes break these mounds for use in their own building materials.
Larger ant hills may also contain chambers for the workers to bring larvae up on warmer days, and may contain a single tunnel to the entrance or a small network of tunnels. They may even contain storerooms so workers have access to food, which theyll then move between galleries as needed.
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.
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Washing Up Liquid And Olive Oil Or Canola Oil
By adding olive oil or canola oil, some people claim the mixture becomes more effective at killing the ants. The theory is that the oil blocks up the spiracles, openings in the ants exoskeletons that they breathe through, effectively suffocating them to death.
Mix one tablespoon of oil, one tablespoon of washing up liquid and a quart of water to create the solution then use it as a spray or to pour into the nest.
Pros
- Arguably more effective than using soap and water alone
- Cheap and easy to make with ingredients most people have at home
Cons
When In Doubt Call A Professional Ant Exterminator
Of course, the easiest way to get rid of ants in your lawn is to call a professional ant control expert. Depending on the type of ants living in your backyard, the exterminator may use one or several methods of ant extermination, choosing the most effective and least damaging treatment options. By calling an expert, you can minimize damage to your lawn, remove ant mounds in record time, and enjoy your lawn all summer long. Call Antworks today for an ant extermination quote!
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Undoubtedly Sticker Weeds Are The Worst Thing That Happens To Anyone Having A Lawn
How to get rid of stickers out of your yard. Don a pair of rubber gloves and manually pull lawn stickers out. In general, the more you work to keep your yard healthy, the less of a problem stickers will be. How to get rid of stickers or sand burrs.
Rake your soil properly and accumulate the deed stickers from the soil then make a pile outside the lawn or a corner covering with a black plastic bag. Unfortunately, it is also the hardest solution. That prevents it from growing back again.
Most of the time when you get a splinter you can rely on the good ol tweezers method for removal. Keeping your lawn watered properly will go a long way to eliminating grass burrs. Mechanical control involves one of two things:
Yes, there are many types of stickers weeds but all are equally annoying. Unfortunately, they can also attach themselves to your pet’s fur. Pulling the weeds out with your hands.
When the become rot through them away from the lawn. If your lawn is not completely overrun just yet, take the time to pick the sand burrs by hand. Mow your lawn to cut the stickers like a military haircut.
This is what i used for my ant problem, it may work for you, too. One of the ways to get rid of sticker plants in your yard is through mechanical control, i.e., manually removing them. If your yard is full of stickers, you will want to take action to remove them so that you can once again enjoy your yard.
Pin on Plants
How To Discourage Ants From Coming Back To Your Lawn
Discouraging ants from invading your lawn is not an easy task. Ants gravitate to well-draining soil, locations with ample access to food, and watered fields. Your lawn is the perfect place to set up a colony.
To prevent future infestations from occurring, you have to be proactive about making your yard as unappealing to these pests as possible.
Contrary to popular belief, you dont have to sacrifice lawn maintenance to keep it pest-free.
Start by sticking to a regular lawn maintenance schedule. Cut the grass frequently to prevent overgrowth and excessive shade. Keep the grass low to ensure that the soil is exposed to as much sunlight as possible.
If you have any sources of food that attract ants nearby, move them. Some common attractants are dirty garbage cans, compost piles, and loose trash.
Invest in a sealed garbage can to stop smells from percolating through the air. Then, move your compost away from your manicured lawn. Sealed compost bins that are lifted off the ground are available as well to minimize pest access.
Once you deal with any attractants, consider planting deterrents! Ant-repelling plants like mint, sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and more are perfect for keeping ants out. Fragrant flowers like marigold and lavender do just fine, too.
Most aromatic herbs and plants will work. Place those plants strategically around your yard to make it a no-go zone for ants.
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Clean Up Or Eliminate Food And Water Sources
Ants love compost piles, trash , and any kind of organic waste, especially if its sugary or sweet. Be sure to clean areas around your trash, compost, and recycling bins indoors, and store the outdoor trash, compost, and recycling bins away from both your house and lawn. A few more ant-free friendly tips:
- Use a wet, soapy sponge to remove ant pheromone trails inside the house.
- Pick up any dropped food when hanging outside near your home .
- Ensure your homes downspouts and gutters are functioning properly so that water flows away from your houses foundations, reducing the risk of creating standing water .
SUNDAY PRO TIP: Cats and dogs can inevitably invite ants into your home, so store dry pet food in a sealed plastic container and not the bag it comes in, and keep the area around your pets feeding bowls clean so they dont become food sources for ants.
How To Get Rid Of Ants In Your Lawn Naturally
Despite all the species out there, its pretty easy to get rid of ants in your lawn regardless of the type youre dealing with. Theyre resilient and quick to proliferate, but theyre no match for some proven extermination strategies.
Here are some of the best ways to get rid of ants in your yard naturally.
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Natural & Home Made Methods Of Killing Ants In Your Lawn
There are several natural and home remedies that it can use to kill ants on your lawn. These methods include
Using Boiling Water.
Poring boiling water into an ants nest is the simplest and most widely used method of kill an ant nest. Try and locate all the entrances and pour boiling water into them. It will immediately kill most of the ants inside. Although some ant hills may appear small, most of them are bigger underneath and are home to several colonies. Using boiling water has some drawbacks, though. They include:
- Boiling water wont kill off the entire colony because of the big size of the nests.
- It often takes several attempts to notice success
- Using hot water can result in boggy and wet areas in your lawn.
- Hot water can scald your grass, turning it to brown.
Peppermint
Did you know that Peppermint is an insect repellant? You can plant Peppermint in your home or use it as a natural remedy to get rid of ants. Ants hate the scent. Apart from repelling ants, planting this plant will leave your home smelling minty fresh! Plant peppermint around the perimeter and entryways of your home.
You can also place peppermint cotton balls in areas where the ants frequent. Like most essential oils, keep this oil out of reach of pets, who may become very ill if exposed to this oil. You can find peppermint essential oil at your local grocery store.
Raking ant mounds
Spraying soap and water.
Vinegar
Cinnamon
Using Olive Oil and Dishwashing Liquid
Chili Pepper
Can You Get Rid Of Ants Without Killing Grass
Yes, you can get rid of ants on your lawn without killing grass by using natural methods. In contrast to chemical pesticides which seep into the earth and contaminate the soil, organic ant control methods will enable you to get rid of ants on your lawn for good, without having to put your turfgrass in harms way.
Ive elaborated below each of these natural methods of permanent ant control without killing grass in the next section.
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