They are among the beneficials in the garden, but are not a welcome guest on the terrace and the balcony. Instead of fighting the insects, you can drive them out with a few tricks. We explain what helps against ants on the terrace.
Flying ants on the terrace: How to get rid of the insects
Large flying ants rave about late spring and early summer. It is a strange wedding flight in which females and males meet and pair. The future queens then lose their wings and are ready to found their own colonies. The males die shortly after pairing. The good news is that the flying ants are only on the terrace or balcony for a short time. Then they fly away. The bad news - after losing your wings, some queen can stay and found new colony under the terrace or directly in a corner of the balcony. You absolutely have to prevent this, because it doesn't take long for the insects to find their way into the house. And the ants have no place there. Fortunately, there are some means with which you can hold them away.
Be sure to fight aphids on plants on the terrace
The first step to pass the ants is to keep the area as clean as possible. Because the insects are often attracted by food sources. If the flying ants have found aphids on plants and on the terrace, they will be there. Because aphids make honeydew - a sweet substance from which the ants feed.
If you find ants on the terrace, check all bucket and potted plants, as well as close growingRoses, strawberries or fruit treeson signs of an infestation. If you find aphids, then you have to combat them.
Drive out flying ants on the terrace: in the evening - by light in the evening - by light
During the day you can use strong smells from the terrace and the balcony through strong smellsdrive out. A smell that the insects don't like is vinegar. Simply clean the railings or the terrace floor with a vinegar solution (if the material allows it, of course). With sensitive materials you can instead fill apple cider vinegar in bowls and put it in several places. Lavender or mint oil also have such a strong aroma that they disturb the insects. Lemon peels and cloves have also proven to be effective on small areas.
In the evening you can attract the ants into the garden with strong light sources. A solar lamp in the garden is sufficient to get rid of the enthusiastic insects.
Drive large ants on the terrace
Large ants on the terrace are mostly young queens who are looking for space for their new colony. You absolutely have to drive away the insects, otherwise you have to fight with the whole colony in a few weeks.
Close cracks and joints between the stone slabs as well as possible so that they block access under the terrace.
Rinse the terrace with water every day. Ants prefer a sunny, wind -protected and above all dry place. You will soon go to a new place in the garden if you water your pile every day.
Get rid of ants under the terrace
If there is ants under the terrace, you have already found your new home. In this case you can try to move them. For this purpose you have to proceed as follows:
1. First, if possible, water the ants every day. If you have no access to the pile and only see the entry point, this step can be omitted. You can then try to put bowl with fragrance oils such as lavender or mint right next to the entrance. The goal is to signal the insects that they have not built their pile in the right place.
2. They fill an empty ceramic pot with straw and want and want it upside down right next to the entrance. Then wait about 10 days until the ants colonize it, carefully push a plastic lid under the pot and turn it over. You can then move the ants somewhere else in the garden or in the nearby forest.
Special case: What helps against ants on the balcony?
In principle, everything that helps with an infestation on the terrace also helps on the balcony. This includes - keep the balcony floor clean, rinse every day and close any access points on the floor. You can also put bowl with essential oils or vinegar in the corners. You can also relocate the ants.
Ants are often attracted by the plants in the buckets. A large colony can break buckets and flower boxes, so you should check regularly there.
With sunny balconies, however, you can also help if you shade them. Ants like full -sunny places, a shady place is unfavorable for them.
