How to Clear Ants From a Deck

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Getting ants off a deck involves many of the same tactics used to clear ants from around the house. The ants are nesting in the ground around the deck or within the house's structure. When you try to chase these pests, eep in mind that methods can be harmful to other animals or humans.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Look outside on your deck at night with a flashlight (a red cellophane filter will help) to find carpenter ants. These ants are nocturnal, you'll have an easier time tracking them at night. Locating the nest is an important step in clearing your deck of ants.

Step2

Prevent access to the deck. Store firewood away from the deck and vacuum up the nest and debris around it. Decks will be harder to restrict than your home, but you can limit at some access. Put a 2-foot gravel barrier around your home to identify where the ants are coming from.

Step3

Use a low toxic insecticide for the ants. Diatomaceous earth and boric acid are common choices as they are generally safe for use around humans and pets. Some insecticides can kill other "good" insects in your yard so use them wisely.

Step4

Replace any water damaged wood in your deck and reduce as much moisture in the area as you can. Ants often seek out water damaged wood as it's easier to excavate than good wood.

Step5

Try a bait with insecticide if you haven't eliminated the ants through the other measures. Ants be able to make it back to the nest from the bait so don't spray insecticides or use other methods that might kill the insect before it gets to the nest. Be prepared to wait, as these baits can take up to several months to eliminate the ants.