Ants are harmless garden inhabitants that even perform useful tasks. They are less valued in the sandpit because they spray a caustic liquid that is very unpleasant, especially for small children. What can you do if ants have spread in the sandbox?
How to fight ants in the sandbox?
To effectively combat ants in the sandbox, you should try ant bait, home remedies, relocating the ant nest or interrupting the paths. In severe cases it may be necessary to completely replace the sand.
Effectively fight ants in the sandbox
There are countless tips to combat ants in the sandbox. Most of them are ineffective or only keep the creepy crawlies away for a short time. Avoiding the use of chemical agents is a no-brainer. After all, the little ones should be able to play there later without any stress.
Possibilities include:
- Repel ants
- Use home remedies
- Setting up bait traps
- Relocate ant nest
Individual ants in the sandbox cannot be prevented under any circumstances. Unfortunately, these are often so-called scouts who are looking for new locations for their nests.
Ant baits contain attractants that are poisonous to ants. If they are picked up by the animals and carried into the nest, all other residents are poisoned and die. This measure is harmless for children.
Home remedies are usually ineffective
The list of home remedies is long. It ranges from baking soda to vinegar essence to boiling water. Most home remedies are ineffective or are painful for the animals. This applies to baking soda and pouring boiling water into the nest.
One approach could be to make it so uncomfortable for the ants that they move on their own. For example, you can pour cold water over the nest for several days. Ants don't like too much moisture.
Relocate ant nest
The best and most gentle measure for people and animals is to relocate the nest. It takes a few days, but no one gets hurt.
Find a larger flower pot, fill it with wood shavings and place it over the nest in the sandbox. After a few days, the ants nest in the wood wool because the conditions here are more pleasant for them than the sand.
Once most of the ants are in the wood shavings, use a spade to lift the pot out of the sand and move it to a further away place. Simply empty the nest there.
Interrupt running streets
Prevention is a good idea to prevent ants from settling in the sandbox in advance. Draw thicker chalk lines around the box. Chalk contains lime, which ants do not appreciate. The line needs to be renewed every few days.
In an emergency: replace the sand completely
If there is a severe infestation, you may need to completely replace the sand in the sandbox.
Tip
If you build a sandbox yourself, you should insert a water-permeable weed fleece before filling in the sand. It not only protects against weeds, but also keeps ants from inhabiting the sandbox.
