It’s ugly and annoying to have ant hills on your lawn. They ruin the beautiful appearance of your lawn. A large hip of soil may also smother the grass. So, how do you get rid of ant hills in your lawn without killing the grass?
The first step in getting rid of ant hills is to eliminate ants. This can be done naturally using diatomaceous earth, a mixture of boric acid and sugar, or a solution of white vinegar. Chemical pesticides are also effective in killing ants.
Ants are major causes of mounds and small holes in lawns. Ants usually build underground tunnel systems where they nest. They take waste, soil particles, organic matter, and other debris to the surface. These materials pile up to form an anthill.
Once you have dealt with ants, you can now think of removing the ant hill. Simply scoop and remove the excess soil or debris using a hand shovel. Do it carefully without harming the grass. Use a brush to spread the remaining soil into the grass.
How to Get Rid of Ants in your Lawn
Killing ants in your lawn can be tricky especially if you are having children and pets playing around the garden. You also have to control them without causing damage to your grass. The following are effective methods of controlling ants.
1. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a powder made from fossilized skeletons of diatoms. It is available in industrial grade or food grade. Either of them is harmful to ants and friendly to humans and pets. It also contains nutrients that are beneficial to your lawn.
You simply sprinkle the powder into the nest and other areas where ants are present. This product work by dehydrating ants and killing them over time. The results are not immediate but you are assured they will die over time.
2. Mixture of Boric Acid and Sugar
The idea behind the use of boric acid and sugar is to create a substance that will attract as well as kill the ants. Sugar attracts ants as a source of food while boric acid will kill them. They will take the mixture into their nest to feed the queen. The entire colony will end up dead.
To use this method, you simply use enough sugar and boric acid to create a thick substance. Place the mixture around the nest and other places having ants. Wait to see the results.
3. White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar can be used to get rid of ants in your lawn. To prevent it from harming your grass, mix it with an equal amount of water and pour it into the nest. Using it in pure form can dry out the top layer of the soil and damage grass.
4. Chili Powder
Ants will invade your lawn if they feel safe and comfortable. Applying chili powder on their path and nest will irritate them to the point where they give up and move out of your lawn. To increase the efficiency of this method, add peppermint in either oil or dehydrated form.
5. Orange or Lemon Peel
Some gardeners will swear on the efficiency of peel from citrus fruits in controlling ants while others have some doubts. However, it’s believed that orange or lemon peel help to repel the ant. It also kills the fungus they feed on. Spreading pieces of the peel around their nest can help to drive them away.
6. Destroy their Nests
Destroying nests will send a message to the ants that they are not welcome on your lawn. However, you should be careful when destroying the ant hills to avoid damaging the grass. Use a brush to disperse the soil within your lawn.
Prevent the ant from re-establishing their nests using a bait station. Bait station contains poisoned food that attracts ants. They will feed on poisoned food and take the rest into their nest to feed the queen. The poison will end up killing the entire colony.
7. Use Chemicals
Chemical pesticides come in different forms such as granules or soluble liquids that are sprayed into the nests to kill the ants. Insecticides are highly effective in killing the whole ant colony without harming your lawn.
However, they are not suitable for use when having children and pets playing on the lawn. They can also harm the environment and damage your lawn when used inappropriately. Always use as directed on the label by the manufacturer.
Why are there so many ant hills in my yard?
There are three main reasons why there are many ant hills in your yard:
1. Presence of food sources for ants
Ants are attracted to your lawn if there are reliable sources of food. Ants feed on aphids and other decaying materials in your lawn. They are attracted to the honeydew that aphids produce. Ants will also inhabit your yard when having a compost pile, garbage bins, and other organic waste in the garden.
2. Perfect soil conditions for ants
Ants like well-drained soil that is not compacted, which is also required by your grass to grow healthy. They also prefer dry areas that receive a lot of sunlight. If your lawn is having bald patches of struggling grass, it creates perfect nesting areas for ants.
3. Reliable source of water in your lawn
Ants are also attracted to an area with reliable sources of water to quench their thirst. Ants will build their nests in your lawn when having leaking underground water pipes, birdbath areas, or stagnant water ponds. To keep them away, be sure to get rid of standing water and fix leaking pipes.
Final Thoughts
Ants are beneficial to the health of your soil too. They create burrows that help to aerate the soil. They also improve fertility when they break down organic matter. However, when they start damaging your lawn or invading your home then there is a need to control their population but in a manner that will not damage or kill your grass.