What To Do If You Find Ants Walking In A Straight Line In Your Yard

As a child, you may have sung the phrase "the ants go marching one by one" a number of times. But as an adult, the sight of a line of ants walking in your yard may give you pause. After all, an infestation of ants in your yard can lead to numerous anthills, painful bites or stings (from some species), and potential damage to wood or materials on your property.

If you notice ants walking in a straight line throughout your yard, odds are there's a nest nearby. When ants find a source of food, they leave behind a trail of pheromones when they return to their nest. Their fellow ants will then follow that trail back to the food source, carefully walking in a line to avoid getting lost on their way there and back to the colony.

The good news is that most ant species are not inherently dangerous or harmful to people or yards. In fact, ants are one of the leading predators for other common yard insects and help to keep insect populations in check. However, if you have young children, curious pets, or are noticing an infestation of ants in your yard, it's understandable to want to get rid of the colony. The first step is to follow the line of ants back to its source. If you're having a hard time tracing them, try leaving a small amount of honey or jelly on an index card or paper plate. This can attract the ants and give you a simple starting point, hopefully making it easier to follow them back to their nest. From there, you can use a liquid insecticide, granular bait, or a natural extermination method to get rid of the ants in your yard.

It's important to note that the extermination methods for indoor ants can differ from outdoor ants. You may need to consider non-toxic or indoor-safe options if you notice an ant infestation inside your home. For ants in your yard, there are a number of liquid and granule insecticides on the market that can deter or remove ants without killing your garden plants. Check your preferred home improvement store or online outlet to compare your options. While you'll want to follow the instructions on the product label, most ant killers will instruct you to drench the nest or sprinkle the granules in small amounts around the anthill.

If you're interested in natural remedies, you can try a number of extermination techniques using products you already have on hand. For example, used coffee grounds or a combination of baking soda and vinegar could be effective extermination methods. You can also try drenching the anthill with water. Some online reports say that hot or boiling water may be more effective, but be careful while pouring to ensure you don't accidentally burn yourself in the process.

Once you've exterminated the ant colony in your yard, there are a few simple ways to ensure you aren't making it easy for ants to wander into your home in the future. Keeping food properly sealed in your home helps to avoid attracting ants inside. You should also occasionally walk the perimeter of your house and seal any gaps around doors, windows, pipes, or wires. Spraying insecticide around the exterior edge of your home or hiring a professional pest control service for routine treatments can also help to keep ants off your property.