As a homeowner few things are more frustrating than looking out into your yard and seeing little mounds of dirt popped up all over your nice green grass. Upon closer inspection you realize these aren’t just dirt piles – they’re ant hills!
Ants are industrious little creatures, constantly digging and excavating to expand their underground colonies. If you seem to have more than your fair share of ant hills, you may be wondering why they chose your yard and what you can do about it.
Common Causes of Ant Hills
There are a few key reasons you may be seeing a lot of ant activity in your yard
Ideal habitat – Ants dig tunnels and build nests underground. If you have loose, well-drained soil in your yard it provides great conditions for ants to thrive. Sandy soils are particularly attractive to certain ant species.
Access to food and water – Ants forage for food sources. If you have flowers, trees, or gardens in your landscape, ants can feed on nectar, sap, and insects attracted to the plants. Pet food, compost piles, and garbage cans also make easy meals.
Already established colonies – Ant colonies can grow to very large sizes, with some containing hundreds of thousands of ants. If they are already established, the ants will continue digging new tunnels and pushing up new mounds.
Queen ants looking to start new nests – In spring, queen ants emerge from hibernation and fly off to start their own colonies. Your yard may simply be seen as prime real estate for these new queens.
Warm, sunny exposure – Ants prefer warmer conditions. If parts of your yard get a lot of sun exposure, it can provide the right microclimate for ant nests.
No natural predators – Birds, lizards, and other insects prey on ants. If your yard lacks natural ant predators, the population can grow unchecked.
Are Ant Hills Harmful?
Ant hills themselves are mostly just a nuisance and not directly harmful, though seeing ants marching across your patio could be unsettling! However, some ant species can cause problems:
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Biting ants – Some ants will bite humans that disturb or threaten their nests. Fire ants and harvester ants are two painful examples.
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Damage to plants – Ants don’t eat live plants, but farming aphids for their honeydew can stress plants. Large volumes of traffic to and from nests can damage plant roots.
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House infiltration – Ant trails from outdoor nests into your home can be annoying. Certain species like carpenter ants can damage wood structures.
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Allergic reactions – For those allergic, ant stings and bites can potentially cause severe reactions.
So while ants play an important ecological role, large infestations of problematic species do need to be managed.
How to Get Rid of Ant Hills Naturally
If ant hills are taking over your yard, here are some effective natural methods to get rid of them:
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Pour boiling water – Pouring boiling water directly into the nests will kill ants on contact. However, colonies are large and they may soon return.
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Use diatomaceous earth – The sharp particles of this powder will cut into ants’ exoskeletons and kill them once carried back into the nest. Apply around hills.
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Sprinkle dried chili powder – The spicy capsaicin in chili powder irritates ants. Lightly sprinkle around nest entrances. Reapply after rain.
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Remove attractants – Eliminate food sources like pet bowls, ripe or rotting fruit/vegetables, and garbage. Ants will have no reason to hang around.
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Encourage predators – Provide habitat like birdbaths, nest boxes, and native flowers that attract birds, lizards, and predatory insects that feed on ants.
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Fix leaky faucets/sprinklers – Don’t give ants an easy water source. They need moisture to survive.
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Grow mint – Mint repels ants naturally. Plant some around your yard’s edges or around specific areas like patios.
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Use vinegar – Wipe out ant trails with vinegar or a 50/50 vinegar-water solution. This removes pheromone trails ants use to navigate back to food.
With some diligence, these natural pest control methods can help tame an ant infestation and get your yard back. Let those ants know who’s boss! But remember, completely eliminating ants from your yard is near impossible, so aim for control instead of eradication. A healthy ecosystem will always contain some ants.
Flood the Hill
You can also flood an ant hill to kill the ants inside, but make sure to use a steady stream of water for a few minutes for the best results. A garden hose sprayed at an ant hill for a few minutes will destroy the hill and kill many of the ants that live inside it.
If you’re still having trouble with ants, you should call a professional ant control service to help you get rid of the problem. Most professionals can get rid of ants in one visit using methods that are safe, work well, and won’t hurt you or your home.
Signs of an Ant Infestation
Seeing live ants in your home is the most obvious sign of an infestation, but a lot of people think seeing ants is just the occasional thing that happens.
Also, you might see mounds of dirt in and around your house. These are called ant nests or ant hills. Ant nests can be found in cracks in the sidewalk, along the sides of a house, or even in garden beds or on lawns.
Hearing rustling sounds coming from your walls is another sign that you may have an ant problem. This could mean that ants are moving through the walls or behind the wallpaper.
Most ants can be innocuous, but carpenter ants have been known to destroy wood and furniture. Also, ants aren’t likely to be the only pests in your home, especially if food scraps and wet areas attract them.
Keeping your eyes and ears open for these signs is the first thing that you need to do to properly find and treat an ant problem.
How To Get Rid Of Ant Hills In Your Lawn
FAQ
How do I get rid of ant mounds in my yard?
Is it bad to have ant Hills in your yard?
How do I get rid of ant Hills forever?
What causes an ant infestation in the yard?
Do ants live in ant hills?
Ant hills are caused by ants digging out tunnels beneath the surface and bringing up that excess soil to the nest entrance. Ants don’t live in the ant hill. Ants may be attracted to your yard because: Depending on the species, they like to nest in sandy and dry soil, moist or decaying wood, and patchy, struggling lawns.
Why are there so many ant hills in my yard?
There are a few different factors that contribute to the number of ants and subsequent ant hills in your yard that you should take into account when determining how to best get rid of them. The most common cause of excessive amounts of ant hills in your yard is the soil itself.
Why are ant hills ugly?
Not only are ant hills ugly, but they can indicate that you have an upcoming ant problem on your hands. Many homeowners have asked themselves the question: why are there so many ant hills in my yard? The main reason why there are so many ant hills in your yard is that your lawn is overgrown and unkempt.
Why are there so many anthills around my property?
Most species prefer to build multiple access points, which look like small hills around sidewalk cracks, driveway edges, and surrounding grasses. You have so many anthills around your property because a single ant colony has begun to build new access points (AKA ant hills) — and it’s only a matter of time before things get even worse.
Are ant hills bad for your lawn?
Ant hills can reduce your curb appeal and lead to dead grass, muddy patches, and unusable patches of yard. This might make it difficult to perform regular lawn care, as the sediment of an ant colony could dull mower blades and even create a tripping hazard out in the yard.
What are ant hills?
Ant hills, or ant mounds, are piles of dirt constructed by ants to protect the colony underground. They often appear after the queen has mated, and the hills expand as the ants grow. Ant hills typically form near food sources, so if you see one in your yard, it’s often a sign of an infestation. XResearch source 2