Understanding Ant Infestations in your Grass
Wondering how to get rid of ants in your lawn?
Ants are a valued part of our ecosystem, but they don’t always value our ecosystem. Keep this guide handy if you ever have an abundance of ants causing problems in your lawn or turf.
Continue reading to learn common causes for ant infestations alongside a series of solutions for your problem.
Why Do I Have Ants in My Lawn or Turf
Ants are a vital part of any garden’s ecosystem in controlled numbers and it is incredibly common, even beneficial, to see ants around your lawn. Most garden ants act as pollinators much like their cousin insects the bumblebee, and do not typically pose any harm to your plants unless their population spirals out of control. They even prey upon some less desirable insects such as caterpillars who chew on the leaves of plants.
Ants prefer to make their homes in hot, dry and well-drained soils, so if your lawn is of a particularly sandy consistency then it may be become home to a colony. Ants are even known to make their homes in artificial grass.
Ants will often deem your garden as prime real estate if they believe the area has enough food for them to scavenge, – this is usually due to a high existing aphid population but they could also see your trash or nearby animal remains as a free meal ticket.
When Do They Become a Problem?
Ensure the ants in your garden are negatively impacting its health before you decide to take action against them.
- Observe your low-growing plants and check that they’re not being buried by the ants’ excavations.
- Check for mould and mildew which ants may introduce into your garden.
- Make sure the roots of your grass are not being damaged by checking for yellowing.
- Try to identify the species of the ant colony. The large, crimson, fire ants construct very big mounds and may endanger you as well as your plants as their prone to biting. Carpenter ants on the other hand nestle into wood, wreaking havoc and causing structural damage; although not typically one to damage lawns, it is always worthwhile to check that these large, black creatures are not the ones you’ve spotted in your garden.
- Be especially wary of aphids, another insect that ants are attracted towards due to the sweet secretion they give off. Ants protect these aphids from predators, allowing their population to grow and damage your garden. If you’ve noticed the tell-tale signs of aphid infestations such as twisted and yellowed leaves and poor plant growth, you may want to control the ants which guard them.
How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Lawn
The issue must be solved at the source; killing worker ants where and when you find them will only slightly weaken an otherwise stable colony and is a temporary measure unless enough are destroyed to cause significant damage to the colony’s ability to gather food. Thankfully, much less arduous ways of clearing the ants do exist, so here are some alternative methods to try when you need to kill ants.
Maintain Your Lawn and Turf Regularly
Prevention’s always better than a cure when it comes to ant pest control.
Proper maintenance of your lawn and turf will discourage ants from making their home there; this includes regularly watering the area and frequently cutting your grass to no shorter than three and a half inches to prevent open spaces from forming – perfect spots for ant nests.
Use a Proper Irrigation Method
If you’ve found your ants early enough, they may still be building their new nest. Proper irrigation will make this process very difficult for the ants and will prevent them from gaining a foothold into your lawn.
Most reputable gardeners will recommend you implement an irrigation system that penetrates three to four inches into your lawn; this, alongside keeping your plants well-quenched, will persuade ants to find somewhere else to settle and prevent any damage to your lawn.
Remove and Prevent Common Food Sources for Ants
Most ants will eat just about anything but absolutely love all things sugary. The honeydew produced by aphids is a prime example, and taking steps to eliminate an aphid population in your garden may have results for your ant problem as well.
Ensure there are no other plentiful sources of food for the ants – namely, dispose of any animal carcasses you may find in the area, keep prey insects in check around your lawn, and if you’re a frequent garden-picnicker, try wiping down your outdoor tables with the ants’ least favourite food, vinegar, to keep them from finding your crumbs and leftovers. Be careful not to get any vinegar on your lawn!
Secure and Seal Entry Points for Ants
Ants will make use of any passageway when searching for food to help them build their nest in your lawn. If the nest isn’t in your lawn, then figuring out how they get in and blocking the entryway with caulk or an equivalent will help a lot. If the nest is in your lawn, then it still may be pertinent to seal up any entrances to your own home so that the infestation of your garden doesn’t turn into an infestation of your home.
3 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ants in Your Grass
If you discover that you have an ants nest in your lawn, here are three natural ways you can look to get rid of them without harming your garden further.
Encouraging Natural Wildlife to Control Ants
Much of the animal kingdom sees ants as prey and will happily help you with your infestation. Natural predators of ants include:
- Ladybugs
- Praying mantises
- Large animals such as lizards and some birds can be encouraged to visit by preparing appropriate areas for them.
These predators can be implemented into your garden to prey upon ants and other pests, many of them are even readily available at garden centres and on online stores. Always ensure that your garden is hospitable to these creatures and refrain from the use of pesticides and chemicals which could harm these helpful critters.
Use of Homemade Remedies and Repellents in Lawn Care
You might have the solution to your problem just lying around the house; various cooking ingredients and green cleaning supplies are known to dispatch ants without destroying your lawn:
- Baking soda, when mixed with sugar, proves to be a slow-acting but deadly treat for ants.
- Black pepper, coffee grounds, cinnamon and citrus fruits all have a smell which ants loathe, and, when mixed with water and sprayed directly onto the ants, can be lethal.
Using Boiled Water to Kill an Ant Hill
If you can identify the anthill, then boiling water is a natural way to dispose of the nest and is very effective when you need to get rid of pests in your lawn.
Simply pouring the water into the hill is enough to collapse the nest and kill the ants inside. Be careful not to release the water on your grass or plants, however, as they’re just as vulnerable to it as your target.
Some ant species will respond aggressively if they feel threatened, so make sure to cover as much skin as possible to avoid some nasty bites.
Check back a few days later and repeat the process if they are still present.
2 Chemical Ways to Get Rid of Ants in Your Grass
Using Lawn-safe Insecticides to Kill an Ant Nest
Quick and much easier solutions exist in insecticides. Always ensure your chosen insecticide is lawn-safe and will not damage your grass or plants. Lawn pesticides of any kind are also not recommended to homes with outdoor pets and insecticide exposure should always be avoided by anyone applying it to their gardens. Wear protective clothing and stay safe.
Insecticide should be applied adhering to the manufacturer’s instructions; always dilute or mix the substance in a well-ventilated, (preferably outdoor) area using utensils that are not used for cooking or eating.
Insecticide should be applied during the early morning or evening hours to ensure the foliage dries before temperatures rise.
Using Nematodes to Control Ants in Lawns
Nematodes are a biological weapon in and of themselves. These microscopic creatures can be purchased from most garden centres and online stores and will kill a myriad of garden pests including ants.
Apply them to your garden when there is little light outside and only when the ants or other pests are active and in three to seven days the issue should be sorted without even leaving insect remains.
