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Pest control of the garden is a constant job of the gardener. Ant problem are one of the most common and annoying pest problem. Ants develop their families extremely quickly, populating the surroundings and encroaching on the planting of your garden. Fighting ants is not easy, long-term and often does not bring long-term results. How to get rid of ants in the area?
Ants in house: Good or Bad
Paradoxical, but true: a certain part of people are sincerely convinced of the benefits of ants on the site. This benefit can even be easily explained:
- Ants in home are the natural guardians of the garden from attack by caterpillars and other harmful insects;
- Due to the vital activity of ants, in the places of their settlements, the soil is rich in phosphorus and potassium, minerals necessary for the full development of plants. Moreover, the excess concentration is calculated tens of times.
However, gardeners who are convinced of the benefits of ants for the garden are theorists who never tried to get rid of ant dominance. To be objective, I will offer your attention information about the dangers of ants on the site:
- Where there are ants, there are always a lot of aphids. Ants contain aphids, just like a man is a pet. In symbiosis, an ant and aphid can not only harm plantings, but also lead to their death.
- Ants eat more than caterpillars. Ants eat grown vegetables and fruits, eat passages and tunnels in them, green plants are also used.
- Ants spoil the decorative effect of the site. The anthill is located in the center of an alpine slide, or close to the playground; it is not easy to remove it from the site.
- Like moles, ants spoil the earth, filling it with endless passages. Due to the large number of tunnels in the soil, the air and water permeability of the soil is disturbed.
Summing up, we can safely say that there are more disadvantages of ants, and they are all extremely unpleasant.
Remedies To Get Rid of Ants
Ant sprays, which can be found in assortment at any gardening store, deal with ant colonies quickly and reliably if you follow the instructions that come with the drug. All ant repellents contain one of two active substances used against annoying insects.
- Diazinon from ants. The principle of the drug from ants is to act on the gland, which stops the production of an enzyme that is responsible for the work of other systems that will get rid of ants in your house / garden. The influence is primarily directed on the nervous system of ants, blocking the work of which leads to the death of the insect. An additional advantage: Once in the soil, diazinon accumulates and retains its protective properties for three weeks.
- Chlorpyrifos from ants. The effect of the drug on insects is identical to the previous one, the difference lies in the way the active substance enters the ant organism. In the case of chlorpyrifos, the insect inhales the vapors of the poisonous substance. There is one more difference with the previous preparation: chlorpyrifos remains in the ground for up to four months, while the stage of active protection of the garden from ants lasts about two months.
Ant Control Methods: how to kill ants?
Ants are such an annoying infection of the garden that complete disposal can only be achieved through comprehensive measures to combat ants.
- ant repellent plants: Insects do not tolerate a lot of harsh and catchy odors. If you yourself do not suffer from the presence of aromas, planting these plants (wormwood, parsley, anise, garlic) will be the natural defense of the garden from ants. In addition to the smell of plants, ants cannot stand the aroma of tobacco ash, kerosene and turpentine.
- Essential oils to get rid of ants: Based on the same beliefs, coat the trunk of trees near the ground with hemp oil, it will scare away insects, forcing them to change their location.
- Ants cannot swim. This means that a small moat around the planting can provide protection for the tree or shrub. There is no need to dig a pit, a three-centimeter depression is enough so that the ants cannot get to the distant “shore” they need.
- There is a way to catch most of the ants and kill them. Lay out bricks near the anthill, pour them with manure, or prepare a decoction of herbs (just do not use the plants listed a couple of chapters earlier for decoction), pour it on the bricks. After a few days, lift the brick: you will be surprised to find that most of the ants are now on the brick. Pour boiling water over the bricks while pouring hot water over the passages of the anthill.
Fighting ants in the garden is a long and sometimes systematic work. Ants are a problem that is easier to prevent than to eliminate once and for all. However, if you find ants on the site, start eliminating insects immediately, before they have time to settle in your house, from where it will be much more difficult to remove them.