Ant Killer for Lawns
Ants, including carpenter ants and fire ants, are pesky insects that can invade lawns and gardens. Ant mounds sprout up most noticeably after a heavy rain and can be surprisingly large, seemingly created overnight. Ants also like to gather near building foundations and along the wood strips that run along sidewalks. Luckily, there are numerous ant killers for lawns and several methods to eradicate ants. Does this Spark an idea?
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Contact Insecticides
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Destroy ants in the mound. Contact insecticides kill ant mound inhabitants in one to two days. A dry powder insecticide containing 50-75% acephate is an effective contact insecticide. Acephate-based insecticides require one application to kill the ants in the mound, but they may relocate nearby because acephate dissipates after application. Contact insecticides with bifenthrin work in one to two days as well, but reside in the soil for up to 123 days. Consider these factors when selecting a contact insecticide.
Bait Mound Treatments
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Bait insecticides like spinosad work in two to four weeks and are less toxic than abamectin B1, which has a control time of two to eight weeks. Abamectin is recommended for use under sidewalks and home foundations. Bait insecticides trick ants to believe that the bait is food, and worker ants take it to the nest where it is consumed, even killing the queen.
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Orange Oil as an Insecticide
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Orange oil (which can be purchased) is a more natural method to get rid of ants. Using 1 1/2 ounces of orange oil and a few drops of soap per gallon of water is a recipe recommended by Howard Garrett, "The Dirt Doctor." Garrett has a syndicated radio show about gardening and prefers to get rid of pests the natural way. Put the orange oil and soap mixture in a spray bottle and spray ant mounds liberally.
Ant Growth Regulators
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For controlling ants rather than killing mounds on contact, Garrett recommends one part citrus oil concentrate, one part compost tea, and one part molasses to equal four to six ounces. Add to a gallon of water and spray on lawns to keep ants at bay.
Natural Methods or Simply Myths?
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Some individuals swear by the use of regular or quick grits (not instant) to keep ants away. It is believed the anti-fungal properties of grits upsets the ability of ants to eat and they starve to death. Still other people say that soaking pipe tobacco overnight, then removing the tobacco and pouring the remaining tobacco water on the ant mound, is effective.
Precautions
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Powder insecticides are sprinkled on ant mounds in small amounts. Don't try this on a windy day, or the powder may blow in your eyes. Some insecticides have a foul odor that can make you feel nauseous. Follow all manufacturer's directions when handling and storing insecticides.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit ants. image by mdb from Fotolia.com ants image by Sandra Henderson from Fotolia.com
