Control
Unless their nests are particularly troublesome, ants are best left alone. If a colony is destroyed it is likely that its place will be taken by incoming queen ants, which take over the territory and establish new nests. Disperse ant heaps on lawns by brushing the excavated soil on a dry day before the lawn is mown, otherwise the soil will get smeared on the lawn surface by the mower. If the lawn has an uneven surface due to years of ant activity, peel back the turf in the raised areas, remove excess soil and relay the turf. This is easier to do in the winter when ants are less active.
There is not a lot you can really do about ants in your lawn, except get a bit mad and go blue in the face. Raise the mower setting and pick a nice dry day and scatter the anthills with a besom broom or a stiff garden broom just ahead of mowing. You could control the ants in your pathways and building lines and try and prevent them getting to your lawn in the first place - a case of prevention is better than cure.
Nippon Powder for Ant ControlMany proprietary ant powders, baits, sprays and aerosols are available for controlling ants in and near buildings, but these are not suitable for general garden use. To make a real impression on ant numbers it would be necessary to destroy the nests rather than just the foraging ants. That is difficult to achieve as ant nests occupy a much larger volume of soil than might be suggested by the small heaps of soil excavated on to the surface. Take a look at the Vitax - Nippon Range of Ant Control Products which are available from Garden Centes or your local DIY Warehouse or greener alternatives are available online from Green Gardener
A pathogenic nematode, Steinernema feltiae, is available from some mail order suppliers of biological controls for treating ant nests in lawns and flower beds. The microscopic worm-like nematodes are watered into the soil in places where ants are bringing soil up onto the surface.
With thanks to the The Royal Horticultural
When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door
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