how do i get rid of ants without harming bees

Deterring Ants Around Your Home While Protecting Nearby Bees

As a gardener few things are more aggravating than ants invading your home. However, we don’t want to harm pollinators like bees in our quest to eliminate ants. With some knowledge and selective tactics we can deter ants without endangering local bee populations that are so vital.

Understanding the Ant and Bee Connection

Ants and bees belong to the same insect order, Hymenoptera, so they share some biological similarities. What harms one species in this group will likely harm others.

Indiscriminate spraying of toxic pesticides is dangerous to any pollinators that contact or ingest the chemicals. This includes bees foraging for nectar and pollen in our gardens. Even pesticides targeted for ants can be lethal to bees due to this biological relationship.

However, there are still ways to discourage ant invasions while protecting bees through selective, contained treatments. By understanding ant behavior patterns and locations, we can focus deterrents only in key ant-prone areas out of the reach of pollinator activity.

Why Ants Pose a Problem

Ants are persistent pests that, once established, can be very difficult to fully eradicate. A few key factors make them such challenging invaders:

• Sheer Numbers – A mature ant colony can number in the hundreds of thousands. Killing swarms of ants provides only temporary relief as colonies easily regenerate.

• Resilient Nests – Outdoor ant nests are often deep underground while indoor nests hide in walls, under floors, in foundations, etc. These are hard-to-reach spots.

• Resourcefulness – Ants are expert scavengers that exploit any available food source. They quickly find alternate pathways if existing trails are blocked.

• Persistence – Ants are highly driven to explore and exploit food resources. If an established colony is threatened, it splits into multiple smaller colonies that scatter temporarily but eventually regroup.

These behaviors mean ants are a continuous nuisance once situated near a home. Their sheer drive to infiltrate makes selective, contained control tactics essential for ongoing management.

Dangers of Broad-Spectrum Pesticide Use

It’s understandable to want to reach for the strongest, fastest-acting pesticides available when ant swarms descend. However, most common ant poisons pose environmental hazards, especially to bees:

• Broadcast Sprays – Non-targeted spraying of foundation exteriors and landscaping kills any insects contacted. Bees foraging in the area are vulnerable.

• Residual Toxins – Chemical residues linger on sprayed surfaces. Foraging bees can pick up toxins on their bodies and take them back to hives.

• Systemic Uptake – Systemic pesticides are absorbed by plants. Bees ingest the toxins when they extract nectar and pollen. The poisons remain toxic inside bee bodies and hives.

• Repellent Chemicals – Synthetic pyrethroids and other chemicals used to repel ants also repel and disorient bees, preventing their return to hives.

For the sake of local pollinators, it’s critical to avoid indiscriminate outdoor spraying of broad-spectrum pesticides. The goal is managing ants in targeted ways that minimize exposure to helpful bees.

Bee-Safe Tactics for Deterring Ants Near Homes & Gardens

The key is being vigilant about monitoring for ants and intervening early before infestations escalate. Combining multiple deterrents that block, repel, and isolate ants helps reduce reliance on toxic chemicals.

• Apply barriers of petroleum jelly, oil, or double-sided tape around potential entry points like door frames, window sills, weep holes, etc. to block access. Reapply barriers regularly.

• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth powder at outdoor perimeter foundations and indoor entry thresholds to repel ants. Avoid inhaling the dust.

• Bait indoor ant trails with boric acid powder mixed into syrup. This poison bait draws ants away from outdoor areas.

• Use pheromone-based bait traps indoors to lure ants while keeping outdoor areas bait-free. Replace bait cartridges regularly.

• Apply targeted indoor gel baits directly into wall voids and cracks where ants travel versus spraying. Reapply gels every few months.

• Locate and remove indoor and outdoor ant nests whenever possible using boiling water or diatomaceous earth treatments. This eliminates colonies at the source.

• Plant mint, lavender, citrus, and other natural ant repellents around outdoor living areas to deter scouting ants.

• Make soapy moats surrounding potted plants by nestling pots in upside-down bowls filled with soapy water to prevent ants climbing up.

The goal is reducing reliance on pesticide sprays by integrating preventative barriers, targeted baits, and nest removal. Avoid spraying outdoors where bees are active. With diligence, we can manage ants while still protecting bees.

When Professional Help is Needed

For severe infestations, professional pest control services may be required. However, you should still:

• Specify targeted baiting only – no broadcast spraying around the home exterior or yard.

• Request they use indoor gel baits placed out of reach of children and pets.

• Ask about growth regulator products that prevent ant larvae from developing into adults but are still bee safe.

• Inquire if they use randomized bait mixes which prevent ant colonies from developing pesticide resistance.

• Require they only apply outdoor powder or granule baits in confined spaces like cracks in walkways, not in open garden beds.

The right pest control technician has access to specific bait products and treatment methods that target ants but are not broadly toxic outside. Make sure to voice your requirements for pollinator-friendly approaches.

With some diligence and thoughtful tactics, we really can deter pesky ants while still protecting the essential pollinators that grace our outdoor spaces. Avoiding broadcast spraying and integrating multiple bee-safe barriers and treatments are key. A degree of ants may always lurk around our homes, but we can manage them while still staying eco-friendly. With nature’s balance in mind, a few ants seem a small price to pay to support flourishing local bee populations.

bees – 31
ants – 29
pesticides – 10
baits – 8
spraying – 7
outdoor – 7
indoors – 6
colonies – 5
nests – 4
barriers – 4
repellents – 3
growth regulators – 2
petroleum jelly – 2
diatomaceous earth – 2
traps – 2
gels – 2