Ants are useful insects that ensure that, for example, the garden soil is loosened and ventilated. However, if they nest in undesirable places such as in beds, in the lawn or in the house, some measures can be taken that do not require the use of chemicals.
How are ants controlled?
Ants in the garden can be relocated by relocating them using a clay pot. Alternatively, the nest can be regularly doused with water or rinsed. Ants in the house can be attracted with a mixture of beer and sugar. There should be no open food in the house itself and all access points such as joints should be sealed.
Fighting ants in the garden and lawn
The small colony residents love a well-tended garden and loose lawns. If ants live on your property, you should take their presence as a compliment. You obviously garden close to nature! In most cases, the hard-working insects also support you by decomposing dead organic material and eating pests and their eggs. In addition, ants loosen the soil by building their nests and promote the aeration of the soil.
Ants care for and harvest aphids. So if you get rid of aphids, ants stay away too.
But the colony-forming insects, including black and red ants, can alsobecome an annoying pest if they feel like they are gaining the upper hand in the garden. Or worse: They crawl around the apartment and help themselves to cookies etc. By then, war should be declared on the ant colony. But this doesn't have to be done with chemicals, it can literally be done with flowers. Before using herbal home remedies, cultivated plants in the garden should first be checked to see whether they are not infested with aphids. Because their sugary excretions attract ants.
Also find out the ten best tips for fighting ants in the lawn.
Fight ants organically and with home remedies
If your plants suffer from severe aphid infestation, then controlling the parasites can provide relief against ants. If the state lacks food resources, it will move. However, if the ants spread for no apparent reason, home remedies and essential plants come into play. The good thing: These classic remedies arenon-toxic, biodegradable and absolutely harmlessThey can be used safely in the garden and also in the home.
Essential oils and herbs against ants
Ants are sensitive to essential oils, so they give them a wide berth. On the other hand, the scent irritates them, causing the workers to lose track of them. Infestation can be easily prevented with tea tree oil, lemon peel, cinnamon and local plants. On top of that, they are suitablefor breaking up existing ant trails
Tea tree oil: The intensely fragrant oil of the Australian tea tree is often used in naturopathy and as a home remedy. To drive away ants, put a few drops of the oil in the immediate vicinity of the nesting site. In addition, further drops dissolve existing ant trails. However, the use of tea tree oil is only promising for light to medium infestations.
Lemon: The yellow fruit is also a suitable biological agent for repelling small clusters of ants. Their shell can be grated on the ground or scattered whole on ant trails. In addition, a kitchen towel can be moistened with the lemon juice and then wiped or dabbed over the affected floor. Make sure that the lemon juice you buy from the supermarket does not contain any sugar. A manure made from the peel of citrus fruits can be used over a larger area.
Cinnamon: As a powder or as a ten percent oil, cinnamon can act as a barrier to ants due to its strong smell. Alternatively, two tablespoons of cinnamon can be added to half a liter of water. The mixture is sprayed like a spray onto the area that the ants particularly frequent. Cinnamon is suitable for clearing roads and shielding the home from pests. Note: Owners of dogs or cats should avoid cinnamon as consumption can cause he alth problems in their four-legged friends.
Juniper, tansy, chervil, etc.: Many plants - including marjoram, lavender, laurel - either protect directly against ants or prevent aphids from settling on nearby plants. Because where aphids live, ants are never far away. Therefore, it makes sense to keep these chic plants in the garden. A plant manure that floods the ant nest helps as an acute solution. Due to the moisture and the smell, the small insects quickly take off. We'll tell you how to make such a manure further down in the article.
Baking powder
Baking soda is deadly to ants; they consume small amounts and die. But in order for the insects to eat the highly reactive powder, it has to be mixed with tempting powdered sugar. However, you should only use baking soda in desperation and indoors, as the animals die quitepainfullyAnother problem is that other insects such as bees, bumblebees and butterflies are also attracted to the white powder. And unfortunately they also die after the short, sweet enjoyment.
Vinegar
The unpleasant smell can also put some people off. Ants reactvery sensitive to the smell, so they run away. Vinegar also removes the pheromone trail, which acts as a guide for the workers. You don't have to use pure vinegar. It is also sufficient to dilute 100 milliliters of vinegar to 1 liter of water. Apply the mixture to the floor in a spray bottle or with a mop. Plants infected with aphids can also be sprayed with the mixture.
Sugar water
A small bowl of sugar water outdoors quickly attracts a lot of ants. They could now be carried far away and released somewhere else. But this procedure is hardly effective. However, it may be worthwhile to place small bowls of sugar water further away during a picnic in the garden or at a party on the terrace. Then the ants help themselves there and don't constantly try to crash the party. By the way, the same appliesalso to annoying wasps!
Irrigation
Flooding ant nests has proven to be a gentle way to force ants to move. The little troublemakers don't drown; otherwise every rain shower would be a catastrophe for them. But when a watering can full destroys the corridors of the burrow several times a day, even the stubbornest ant queen sometimes gives up. Despite the abundant food supplythe ants move when they cannot raise their brood due to constant flooding.
Chemical remedies against ants
Ants can also be attracted and controlled using natural means such as sugar water and beer.
Using chemical agents always comes with the same disadvantages. In most cases, ant poison is also a poison for other animals and also humans. Chemicals should be avoided, especially if small children or pets have access to the garden. In addition, dangerous substances seep into the groundwater and contaminate it. Otherwise, plants will absorb it and may suffer from it. After all, chemical agents should destroy ants and not just reduce or relocate them.
Becauseants almost only bring benefits for the garden, chemical agents are not recommended. However, if the infestation in the apartment turns out to be too severe and home remedies are ineffective, ant bait can be used, for example. Below we will show you how you can easily build your own trap.
Fighting ants in winter?
During the cold season, the ants lie deep underground in a state of cold paralysis. Your building has two levels. While the lower corridors and chambers are mainly used for wintering, the upper ones are busy in warm weather. In autumn, the ants sense that it is time to retreat. They close the upper accesses and thus secure the lower area. At the same time, they protect themselves from overzealous hobby gardeners who cannot fight antsin winter
Build your own ant trap for the garden
Themost gentle method of removing ants from an undesirable location is relocation. The point here is not to destroy the helpful insects, but to let them continue to live elsewhere. While the clay pot method is a little more time-consuming, the use of manure provides a quick solution.
Trap 1: Relocate ants with clay pot
By offering the ants an apparently better home, you trick the little insects and arrange theMoving on your own Ants like high temperatures. The sun warms up the clay pot and ensures a cozy home even overnight. And now they're sitting in the secret moving van.
Material
- Medium-sized clay pot (unglazed)
- If clay pot has a hole: stone to cover it
- Wood wool or fine straw
- Spade
Instructions
- Fill the clay pot tightly with wood wool or straw
- Put the clay pot upside down on the anthill
- Cover the hole in the clay pot with a stone
- The move will take place after a maximum of seven days
- Place the spade between the bottom of the pot and the soil
- Carefully(!) lift the pot without turning it over or removing the spade from the bottom of the pot
- Put down at the desired location at least 50 meters away. When transporting, make sure to subject the pot to as few vibrations as possible, otherwise the brood can be endangered
Tip
Move the pot as far away from the original location as possible - the ants will quickly find their way home again thanks to the pheromone trail. If you dig a little more soil under the pot, the ants will not climb out of the pot so quickly.
Trap 2: Treat ant nest with wormwood manure
The method of driving away the ants with wormwood manure involvesless work. In contrast to the clay pot method, the animals don't like it when their home is suddenly flooded with a smelly liquid. In addition, when using manure, the hobby gardener does not have control over where the ants next dig their burrow. In addition, some plants do not tolerate the concentrated use of wormwood, which is why you should find out about any intolerances beforehand.
If you don't have wormwood on hand, you can also use tansy. And if you want to get rid of the pests immediately, then we recommend the “Rainsy & Wormwood Concentrate” from the plant doctor René Wadas. The well-known gardener and author develops natural remedies for nature-loving gardeners. In addition to combating pests, its concentrate is also used to generally strengthen plants.
Fighting ants in your house and apartment
That's why ants come into the house
The busy workers cover considerable distances in search of food. Your house, especially the kitchen, is just as much on the exploration plan as the flower bed and the greenhouse. If a scout finds food on her search, she quickly returns to the den. Along the way, she leaves a pheromone trail that acts like a well-marked road between the ant nest and the food source. The scout's colleagues notice her and go on a feeding spree.
Typical food sources for ants in the apartment are:
- Open pet food bowls (especially wet food)
- Open trash cans
- Leftovers
- Food that is stored unsealed
On the other hand, it is also possible that the ants nestin the building materials It is warm and protected in the cracks and crevices of the house. To find out where the ants in your home come from, you can trace the path of an ant trail. Aphids on houseplants also occasionally attract ants. Then the first step is to get rid of the parasitic suckers.
Preventing ants in the house
Once the six-legged troublemakers are in the apartment, it becomes difficult to get rid of them again. That's why you should take preventative action right away to make it clear to the ants that a subtenant is not wanted.
Preventive measures against ant infestation:
- Close all food (including in the refrigerator) tightly
- Also close the trash can tightly and empty it regularly
- Do not leave food bowls open for 24 hours
- Remove leftover food (including crumbs)
- Seal cracks and joints under certain circumstances
Get rid of ants in the house organically and with home remedies
If ants have found their way into your apartment, you can get rid of them withgentle home remedies. If necessary, chemical ant baits are available. The trick of creating a barrier with chalk doesn't quite work in practice. It's true that ants get a little confused. But that doesn't stop them from helping themselves to a rich buffet.
Cinnamon
As with the garden, cinnamon can actively keep ants at a distance as aRepellent. To do this, spread a trail around five centimeters wide in front of the window or patio door - depending on how the ants get into the house. First, however, the ant trail should be removed with a strong agent. Vinegar essence is a good option. When the next workers set off on the well-known path, they will find that the hated smell of cinnamon has replaced the trail.
Tip
Cinnamon must not be used on pets as the spice has a toxic effect on them.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming isonly partially effective against ants. The reproduction rate of workers is simply too high. As soon as 20 ants have been sucked away, the next 25 crawlers are ready. In addition, the ants may survive being sucked in, which is why the vacuum cleaner bag has to go in the trash.
Sugar and beer
Ants are quite economical in some ways. If tempting sugar and sweet beer are available in the immediate vicinity of their nest, then they ignore any crumbs in the apartment. But as soon as thediversionary maneuver has been eaten, they follow the old trail back into the house and look for food again. Sugar and beer can be given in combination with cleaning the pheromone trail and sprinkling cinnamon.
Repel ants in the house with chemicals
Chemical agents used to control insects usually contain neurotoxins. These are equally harmful to humans and animals and reach soil and water via the air and household waste (source: Pesticide Action Network e. V.). If you can't get rid of the ants in the house, it may still be worth using bait cans sparingly as a last resort. The active ingredient Loxiran is found as granules inside the Neudorff cans that are placed on the ant trail.
Special feature: ants under tiles
Sand provides ants with a good basis for building nests.
Instead of sand, which the busy ant carries bit by bit from the joints to the surface,fine gravel should be used as a substrate for garden slabs and tiles. The fine stones cannot be carried by the ants. If this doesn't bring about any improvement, the joints can be completely closed with mortar. However, compacted soils are not insect-friendly and rainwater drains more poorly.
Build your own ant trap for your house and apartment
Trap 1: Ant trap made of sugar and beer
If ants no longer return from getting food, the road into the apartment will stop at some point. In this trap, sugar and beer attract the insects because of their sweet smell. The ants drown in the liquid. This is a simple method to stop ant infestation. The containers are placed on the ant trails in the garden or in the house.
Material
- Plastic cups
- Beer
- Sugar
- Paper and scissors
Instructions
- Fill the bottom of the cup with beer
- Add a teaspoon of sugar
- Cut a narrow strip of paper
- Put the cup down on the ant route
- Fold the strip of paper like a bridge to the cup
Trap 2: Ant trap made of baking soda and sugar
Whether the ants carry the mixture into the burrow and thus wipe out their colony is controversial. Most of the time the ants eat the mixture and die. The fact that baking soda causes ants to burst is a myth. As already mentioned above,this method should only be used in exceptional cases. It should also be noted that each of the remedies mentioned can also harm other beneficial insects.
Identify ant species
The type of ant provides information about the habitat and possible means of deterrence. In science there are several ways to divide ants into groups. However, almost all of our native ant species can be divided into the “Big Four” presented, which is why this system is the most relevant for identification.
Classification of the ant genera (“Big Four”)
Ants can be divided intofour subfamilies:
- the knot ants
- the primitive or stinging ants
- the gland ants and
- the scale ants.
In expert circles they are therefore also referred to as the “Big Four” (source: Grätz, Kupfer (2019): The fabulous world of ants). Across Germany, the approximately 110 species found almost exclusively belong to these four subfamilies. A magnifying glass can be used to identify the small animals precisely. Take a look at her wasp waist (highlighted in red).
The part of the ant's body called the stalk provides information about the subfamily. In ancient and stinging ants, the stalk consists of a large, stool-shaped limb. And the stalk of the glandular ant is small and slightly pulled forward. Unlike the other species, they do not have a poisonous stinger. While the stalk of the scaly ants resembles a thin scale, only the knot ants have two elongated limbs.
Tip
Forest ants play a central role in the ecosystem of our local forests. They regulate the population of other insects (including ticks) by allowing a single ant colony to kill over 100,000 prey items per day. Therefore they are rightly protected.
The most common native ant species in the garden and house
Black and brown-black carpenter ant, the yellow meadow ant, the wood ant and many more: In Germany there areover 100 different species of antsMost of them live in nature, although only few people dare to go near people. Attention: If carpenter ants (material pests) or pharaoh ants (he alth pests) are suspected, the animals must be identified by a specialist and, if necessary, combated.
Name | Natural habitat | Occurrence in human environment | Food |
---|---|---|---|
Black carpenter ant | In the wood of he althy trees (spruce and pine) | Beamings of houses | Honeydew, insects, plant juices |
Brown Black Carpenter Ant | Soft dead wood, tree trunks up to three meters high | Constructed wood from houses and sheds, fence posts | Honeydew, insects, plant juices |
Yellow meadow ant | Lawns, meadows, forest edges (under stones) | Lawn (large mounds) | Honeydew from root lice |
Shiny Black Carpenter Ant | Deadwood | Fence posts, roof beams (old buildings) | Honeydew from aphids |
Two-colored garden ant | Rock carvings, under stones, rotten dead wood | Between concrete and garden slabs, wall gaps, beams | Honeydew, insects |
Brown ant | Rotten dead wood, | Stored wood, damp lumber, plasterboard, thermal insulation boards | Honeydew |
Black (grey) ant | Damp forest edges, open landscapes | Under stones and tree bark, lawns, cracks in walls, houses | Honeydew, insects |
FAQ
How are ants controlled?
Ants can either be lured into traps and relocated, poisoned, or driven away with smells. It is most effective to target the entire colony rather than just removing individual ants.
What works best against ants?
The best way to relocate ants is in a pot or to attract them with liquids such as sugar and beer.
How to fight ants in the house?
The first thing you should do in the house is make sure that there are no open foods. This also includes open feeding bowls for pets. Then you should remove the pheromone trail with a cleaner, sprinkle cinnamon or, if necessary, use chemical bait boxes. Get more tips here.
How to fight ants in the garden?
The most effective methods of ant control include relocating in a clay pot, applying strong smells such as tea tree oil and flooding the nest cavity. The most common methods of ant control include relocating in a clay pot, applying strong smells such as tea tree oil, and flooding the nest cavity. This method is particularly suitable for flower pots and containers.
Do ants need to be controlled?
As a rule, ants do not need to be controlled. You should only take action against them when the insects start to appear in large numbers in the house. If they appear in too large numbers in the garden, they can also be controlled.