Lana Hawkins Ants are on earth for over 100 million years and we can find them almost everywhere on the planet. It is assumed that there are more than 20 000 different ant species, which is why it is called the most successful species on earth. They usually live in large organizational communities.
The problem of ants in the garden is very common. They can lead to the destruction of small plants, or they can make their colonies under the garden paths trail, undermine the sand below, and when you stand on it you can hurt your leg. With this in mind, it is desirable to keep their number under control.
The most common types of ants
In this sense, we are talking about a number of harmful species of ants, characterized by the fact that they build their colonies outside (in your garden).
Black garden ant (Lasius niger L.) – is a dark-grey colour, length from 3-4 mm. They build their nests (anthills) in dry habitats, the old walls, cracks in buildings, on the balconies, in backyards right next to the house. They are entering homes in search for food.
Lasius fuliginosus – 4-5 mm long, glossy black body and a big head. They usually live in rotten logs and hollows of trees.
Yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus Fabricius) – 2-4 mm long. These ants bite people, and their bite is very painful. They usually build their anthills on the lawns.
Crematogaster scutellaris – they have reddish-orange head, 3.5-5.5 mm long. They build nests in the rafters, beams, and a dead tree, and the dwellings in rural areas.
How can you get rid of them?
- Borax – Borax is a component of laundry detergents that can be mixed with a sugar solution and sprayed around the area where the ants are. This is a very effective product. Ants carry the borax into their nests, and it kills them. Mix one cup of borax and one cup of sugar and sprinkle it over their colony. Ants will not distinguish the difference between borax and sugar.
- Vinegar – Another highly effective way to ward off ants is to spray the vinegar on the place where the ants are. Strong smell of vinegar repels them, and ants avoid it. This can be achieved by using a mixture of apple cider and peppermint oil, since ants cannot stand the smell of mint.
Soap – soap ingredients are harmful to ants. Soap breaks wax coating on exoskeleton of the insects and dehydrate them. Mix soap and water, and the mixture pour over the anthill. - Boiling water – Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. When it boils pour the boiling water over the anthill. In this way you will destroy a large number of ants, and their nest will collapse.
- Insecticide – There are many types of insecticides to fight the ants on the market. Some are in the form of a gel, the gel is applied along paths on which are ants moving or near their nest. Gel ants workers recognize as tempting foods that contain sugar. So, they eat it and bring it into their nest to feed the other members of the colony, including the queen. Thus, the insecticide is entered the anthill, allowing a total annihilation of the colony.
- Other insecticides contain Bifenthrin as the active ingredient. Spray them over your lawn and the spray will also kill other insects.
Have in mind that effective control of ants is only possible by destroying the entire litter or the ant colony; it is especially important to destroy the queen. If you suppress only those worker ants that are out of the anthill in search for food, they will soon be replaced by new ones, and we’re back at the beginning.
