Fighting ants in the gardenis usually not recommended as these insects play an important role in the environment. However, when there are too many ants in the garden, massively roaming the plants or passing to our homes,fighting ants in the gardenbecomes a necessity. See when fighting ants in the garden is necessary and learn about the bestways to fight ants- from natural remedies to chemical preparations.
How to fight ants in the garden?
Fig. pixabay.com
When fighting ants in the garden is necessary
Antsfound on our plots and in our gardens are the most common: black wholesaler (Lasius niger), yellow wholesaler (Lasius flavus) and turf grass (Tetramorium caespitum), although the number of species occurring in Poland is much larger (over 100). Some of them, due to their rarity, are even under protection, such as the meadow ant (Formica pratensis). Their presence in forests is naturally the most desirable and desirable, hence the wooden barriers protecting the anthills against accidental damage. However, the presence ofants in the gardenand in our immediate vicinity is another matter entirely.
"When deciding onfighting ants , we must remember, however, that they are useful and necessary insects, also in our garden. By building their underground tunnels, they aerate and loosen the soil. Their main food is insects, including those that can pose a serious threat to plants (e.g.fly larvae, plants). In nature, they also play an important role as natural cleaners, because they eat dead insects, organic debris and even small carrion (e.g. mice). Their droppings contain compounds such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which fertilize the soil.Ants in the gardenalso contribute to the spreading of some plants, e.g. violets. In a way, they can also become a kind of signpost for us, revealing the feeding sites of colonies of harmful aphids. After all, it is easier to notice the crowds of ants wandering through the plants than the immobile aphids hidden under the leaves. "
Ants in the garden on peony flowers
Fig. pixabay.com
So many words in defense of ants. And what is theharmfulness of ants in the garden ? Our popular garden ants do not actually feed on plants, but sometimes they can damage some of their parts (e.g. peony buds, young plant shoots) by trying to get into the tasty nectar. Aside from damage to parts of plants, the biggest problem with ants is some of their dietary preferences. Like most creatures, they like a sweet taste, and one of the largest natural suppliers of energetic treats is aphids. Ants love their sweet discharge called honeydew. They have become so addicted to it that they undertake the protection of aphids against their enemies (e.g. ladybugs, golden-eyed), as well as other honeydew amateurs. There are also species of ants (e.g. the yellow ant) that have gone a step further and keep aphid eggs in their own mounds throughout the winter. In spring, however, they take their wards outside, placing them back on the plants. This type of activity of ants can actually be called aphid farming. Such a situation naturally perfectly favors a very intensive multiplication of these pests and spreading to other plants. Which, unfortunately, is quite troublesome for every owner of a plot or a backyard garden. "
strong>Ants in the garden can also be burdensome for us when they decide to build their nests in a place where we work or rest (e.g.a vegetable patch or a garden lawn). It also happens that in search of a better habitat and additional sources of food, they go to our terraces or even to our homes. After all, it is not pleasant to be bitten by ants that become belligerent and aggressive in defense of their nests and aphid colonies. Their bites are often painful and cause burning and reddening of the skin, and sometimes allergies. This is because ants use venom, which contains, among others, formic acid when biting.
Some species of ants arranging their nests in the bark of trees may also be a nuisance. By boring their tunnels, they damage the trunk tissue and can weaken the tree.
Ways to fight ants in the garden
In such situations it becomes necessary to fight ants in the garden. You can choose from milder forms of fighting, such as deterring and discouraging insects, to radical chemicals that kill unwanted guests.The choice of methods of fighting ants in the garden depends on several factors.
short term of vegetation (e.g. lettuce, strawberries, etc.), radical chemical method is not recommended, because then we can also harm ourselves by eating such contaminated vegetables or fruits. It is also a bad idea to use chemicals if children play in the garden. Especially younger kids like to take things to their mouths, so it's easy to get in trouble. You should also remember not to use chemical preparations for fighting ants in the garden near wells or other drinking water intakes and fish tanks. Many agents are readily soluble in water and are highly toxic to aquatic animals. In such cases, let's use the methods of odor repelling
1. Plant plants that the ants do not like marjoram, lavender, marigold). Since they do not tolerate the smell of tansy (quite a popular herb), you can spread this plant on the anthill itself and on the paths of wandering insects.
2. Use natural preparationsWe can also try to scare off insects by spraying their paths and entrances to the anthill with aromatic oils (e.g. mint, lavender, clove, geranium). As the oils evaporate, this treatment should be repeated after about two days, if necessary). Contrary to appearances, it may turn out to be very effective. It is also a good idea to cover the hiking routes and anthills with baking soda or table s alt. In the latter case, however, we must be careful not to harm the plants growing nearby.
3. Choose effective means to fight ants
However, when the aphids protected by ants damage our roses, miniature willows or other ornamental plants, then we can act more radically.It is a good idea to start combating aphids first, because the ants may get out on their own in such a situation. However, when this does not happen, we have a choice of chemical preparations in various forms and with a different mode of action. We can use an insecticide that kills insects with a long-lasting contact and gastric poison. Such agents are available in the form of granules, powders or spray (e.g. Antikophone). Preparations are usually made of substances with a taste and smell attractive to ants, therefore insects eagerly eat it and take it as food to the nest. In this way, other members of the colony become poisoned.
We can also reach forant fighting agentswith a more sophisticated method of action. They contain hormonal substances (e.g. metoprene) that make insects sterile and inhibit the development of larvae. In this case, the insects do not die immediately, as this process must take some time, but it is extremely effective. The ants no longer develop and lay no more eggs.As a result, it naturally leads to the death of the entire colony.
Recommendedant fighting agentscan be ordered in the shop of our guide, where we guarantee low prices, efficient service and fast delivery.
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Good luck when confronted with ants, but I would like to remind you once again that ants in nature are not pests. So let us fight them only when they become really annoying and in places where their colony becomes very troublesome for us. In other parts of the plot, we should leave them alone, for the sake of our garden.
Katarzyna Józefowicz
