Although ants are not typically considered pests, they can have a major impact on the health and appearance of grasses. The importance of controlling ants on the lawn becomes clear when you consider that the mound-forming behavior of the insects can not only cause ugly mounds, but also root damage to the lawn. Ant hills in the lawn can be dangerous for both pedestrians and mower blades. If you have a lot of ants in your lawn that cause yellow and brown spots, you should use natural remedies to get rid of them - we'll explain how to do this below!
Why do I have so many ants in my lawn?
There is a possibility that a colony of ants will settle in your garden. You may have access to water, shelter, and food right in your own backyard. By looking at the conditions that make your garden so attractive to ants, you can figure out how to kill these insectsget rid of foreverand prevent their return.
Entire lawn is full of ants because of water sources
Anthills in your garden could be caused by leaky pipes, which is one of the likely explanations. Ants are attracted to the area because water seeping into the garden attracts ants, and these ants leave a scent that attracts other ants.
The conditions in your soil are just right for ants to thrive
To build their nests, ants prefer sandy soils or other soils that are dry and have good drainage. They also enjoy lots of sunlight. Anthills can take shape in your grass if it has bare spots or is not thriving for other reasons.
Lots of ants in the lawn – food sources
Ant infestations are more likely in areas where garbage cans are stored outdoors, especially in the garden. Ants are attracted to food, and they are particularly interested in sugary and sweet foods. There are a variety of potential food sources in your garden, including other insects, fruits, fungi, vegetables, and more, which is why you probably have a lot of ants in your lawn.
After a few ants have explored your garden, the real colony will eventually arrive.As soon as the insectsOnce they find a source of food, water and shelter, they produce a pheromone that other ants in the area can detect and then follow to get there.
The impact of ants on your lawn – brown and yellow spots
A significant number of ant species build their nests in or under lawns. They thrive on lawns where the soil is not compacted and has good drainage. For this reason, even well-maintained lawns are at risk of being overrun by ants.
But not every ant is negative. They feed on other insects that may be present in your lawn, and the nests they build can even help aerate the lawn.
However, they leave the soil they dig up on the surface of your lawn as they continue digging. These anthills can have various effects on your grass:
- They can cause your lawn to become uneven.
- They make mowing the lawn more difficult because the lawn mower blades get caught in the clods of soil.
- They also eat through the root zone of the grass as they form their colonies. This is why it is important to remove the grass from under the mounds, especially if the lawn has just been mowed. Because of this, there may be areas where the grass has died.
Lots of ants in the lawn - get rid of them with home remedies
You can use natural ant repellents.
Various scents as repellents – chili pepper, cinnamon & Co.
Place a cinnamon stick, chili pepper, paprika or dried peppermint leaves next to the anthills in the lawn to keep them away. Ants can be eliminated from the lawn by planting mint or cloves nearby. You can also scatter garlic cloves along outdoor ant trails.
How to get rid of ants – lemon helps
Ants seem to have a strong aversion to the smell of lemons and the acidity makes them uncomfortable. This could be because the acid is harmful to certain species of fungi, which these insects often use as a food source. Even more problematic for the ants is the fact that the strong lemon scent can cover their tracks, making it more difficult for them to navigate the area. However, this does not harm or kill the insects. You will just avoid going in that direction.
Place some lemon peel on the areas where ants are likely to invade your grass to enhance the lemon's natural abilityfor deterrenceto use these insects. You can also try squeezing some lemon juice and spraying it near the anthills.
Coffee grounds against ants in the garden
Ants have a strong aversion to the smell of coffee grounds. By the way, this applies to a whole range of insects, including mosquitoes. The best part is that it is biodegradable and you can recycle your old coffee grounds. Simply spread some of the coffee grounds on the grass. This means that the insects will no longer approach as quickly.
