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The Best Ways To Keep Your Lawn Free Of Ant Mounds
By KYLE SCHURMAN
You have multiple options for removing ant mounds from your backyard. Some involve natural treatments, while others involve more chemical choices.
When removing ant hills naturally, try to reduce the reasons they build nests in your yard. It's likely that they chose to live in your yard because food and water are nearby.
Lawn maintenance is the best defense for this. If you have nearby bird baths, sprinklers, or other sources of excess water, move or eliminate them.
For mounds that are already present, covering them with a trash bag can force them to move locations. You can also pour a mixture of boiled water and soap to injure them.
To protect the grass and other plants in the area, you also can douse the mound with water from a garden hose before raking the dirt around the hill and then tamping it down.
The ants will dislike having the nest disturbed, so ensure you don't have fire ants before trying this solution. You may need to seal the nest over several times before this works.
If the natural way isn't working, you can sprinkle boric acid powder around the perimeter of the ant hill. It's extremely toxic for ants and will kill them soon after contact.
If you have concerns about pets or children becoming sick from exposure to boric acid, you can make use of protected bait stations or use baking soda instead.
If all these options fail, it’s time to call an exterminator. They are not cheap but their knowledge and experience should get the job done correctly and quickly.