How To Get Rid of Ants In Your Garden

There are basically three types of ants usually found in one’s backyard, the black ants, fire ants and red ants.  Black ants are considered monogyn, their colonies have a single queen. They nest underground and are commonly found in rotten deadwood or under stones.  This type of ant is a problem to most gardeners. Black garden ants often explore their surroundings during the summer months to search for more food for their queen and their young.

Some common names of fire ants are Ginger Ants and Tropical Fire ants.  They are mostly found in open areas in large mounds. They feed mostly on young plants and seeds.  They nest in most areas like riverbanks, pond edges and watered lawns.  They produce a painful sting which is similar to what one feels when burned by fire.  Red ants are known as leaf-cutter ants and usually invade a vegetable garden by the thousands.

About two days ago, I found the hubby twisting some old newspapers and lighting them to get rid of those unwanted pests in our backyard.  I used to get rid of them by drowning them with boiling water.  They come back after a while though as long as the queen ant is still alive.  One surefire way of course is to spray them with insect repellent but do you know that there are several ways of killing them by using other natural remedies which are usually found in our cupboards?

The first step is of course to follow their trail and get rid of those left-over food which they are attracted to like sweets, grease or food rich in protein.  Chemicals may be harmful to pets and children so we have to find ways to get rid of these pests without harming the environment.  We can use the following:

– baby powder or other scented talcum powder
– black pepper or cayenne pepper
– salt
– cinnamon
– boric acid
– cream of tartar
– coffee grounds
– paprika
– ground bay leaves
– vinegar

Planting mints around one’s house or garden also helps.  Ants usually follow a scent trail so make sure that when you see a lone ant strolling across your coffee table, don’t let it make it back to their nest alive.  Vacuuming them up also helps.

So why do ants kiss when they meet? Is that their way of communicating with each other?  Do they emit signal messages telling each other where to find food?