Fighting ants at their summer cottage: the best methods

What house area is not without insects: bees, flies or ants. In most cases, they don't do any harm. But there are times when it is simply impossible to enter the garden so many flying insects are in the air. And ants with an increased number are just a disaster. Therefore, the fight against ants in the summer cottage for some gardener for a certain period of time becomes the main problem.

Content:

• What harm do ants do to the site
• Insect preparations
• Folk methods of struggle
• Traps and baits
• Prophylaxis

What harm do ants do to the site

Naturally, creeping insects are present in every vegetable garden or garden. This is even normal and has little benefit. For example, ants are able to neutralize slugs or caterpillars, as well as fly larvae. They clear the site of malicious visitors.

In addition, they have the property of enriching the soil with potassium and fluorine, as well as contributing to the overall improvement of fertility. With their own moves, they improve the composition of the soil, making it loose, airy and supplying oxygen.

But this type of garden dwellers does much more harm than good.

The most noticeable actions of ants that bring only losses in gardening are distinguished:

• Nothing can be planted, they immediately pull out the seeds, feeding on them - during the summer months, the necessary amount for normal life and prosperity of the anthill is 10 thousand grains eaten.
• Are carriers aphids - the latter gives off a sweet sticky consistency, which ants love very much. They transfer larvae and sexually mature individuals to fruit crops and feed on their secretions, while the plant begins to die.

When fruiting berries and fruits saturated with sugar, ants occupy the fruits and eat away the sweet insides;

1. An increase is observed in the place of anthills and within a radius of a meter near it. soil acidity - negatively affects the growth and development of plants, they stop growing in these areas.
2. Actively press on landings roses and peonies when releasing young buds. On roses, they eat up the inside of the buds and spoil the delicate petals, and on peonies they feast on sepals.
3. They spoil stumps from cut trees, for a short period, turning them into dust.
4. They bite painfully when working with the ground or planting.

Crawling insects not only draw out the seeds of cultivated plants, but also carry numerous weed grains throughout the garden, which are very difficult to eliminate. Thus, the harmful effect of a large population of ants significantly exceeds their beneficial qualities. Therefore, it is better to eliminate them at the initial stage of their development than to fight the entire colony.

Insect preparations

When the number of ants has exceeded the available limits, any gardener decides to take extreme measures - the use of chemicals against insects. This type of weapon is the most effective, and also justifies itself in the shortest possible time.

You can buy chemical insecticides at any plant that specializes in selling plants. The most popular among buyers are distinguished:

• Ant - the substance is sold in sachets weighing 10 grams. The product is in the form of microgranules that do not need to be diluted. Thanks to this, they are not dangerous for the surrounding soil and flora. The insect eats the bait, and then, taking it to the colony for the uterus, dies a few hours after the meal.
• Thunder-2 - granules in a package in a volume of 20 grams. It should be placed near the anthill, while making a furrow. Pour insecticide on the bottom of the stream and lightly sprinkle it with soil. You can also sprinkle the pellets directly onto the surface of the nest. The results should be assessed after 3 days.
• Anteater - it is sold both in an ampoule (1 ml) and in a bottle (10 and 50 ml), it must be diluted with liquid. When using it, you need to know exactly where the anthill is located. This is necessary in order to remove the upper cavity of the dwelling. The diluted solution is poured inside, so that the mixture gets not only on the working ants, but also on the larvae. Be sure to spill all over the territory next to the habitat of the colony. It is best to perform the procedure in the early hours of the morning or when it has already got dark - the likelihood of neutralizing a larger amount increases.
• The Great Warrior is a gel that fits into a syringe for easy distribution. Paths of sweet poison should be laid out at the places of movement of the ants. They feast on and carry them to the den. After 2-3 days, lifeless bodies begin to come across, and after 7 days, complete neutralization occurs.
• Muratsid is available in the form of a liquid solution in an ampoule (10 ml). It should be diluted at 10 liters. Only 1 liter is enough for one anthill, but in order to surely get rid of the family, it is better to use a larger volume. It is poured deep into the passages, thereby blocking any escape routes. Effectiveness is visible the very next day.

Such preparations allow you to get rid of small pests for a fairly long period. The main thing is to follow all the recommendations prescribed in the instructions on the package and follow the precautions.

Folk methods of struggle

If the number of ants is not significant, but they are still annoying, then for the first time it is recommended to resort to folk methods of neutralization.

1. At first, you can plant it everywhere tomatoes, the smell of their tops scares away insects. They also dislike the aroma of mint, elderberry, garlic, mustard, wormwood, anise and bay leaves.
2. To protect plants and fruit trees, a black soap solution is recommended. For preparation, 4 teaspoons of carboxylic acid are taken, it can be purchased at the pharmacy, 0.4 g of black soap and 10 tablespoons of kerosene. Mix the components in warm water until a homogeneous liquid is formed. The next stage is spraying or processing with a dishwashing sponge the flora, where representatives of the family constantly appear. To achieve the maximum effect, it is worth repeating the event at least 3 times.
3. Experienced gardeners advise to use a solution with a liquid soap component for washing dishes to eliminate not only ants, but also other animals on fruit-bearing bushes.
4. The main component in a volume of 1 tablespoon is mixed with a small amount of bitter pepper (red or black). After the batch, it is diluted with one liter of boiling water. The solution should be infused for exactly 24 hours, then strain it and process the planting with it. You can use any kind of pepper on your own against ants. It is enough to pour into the moves of the anthill and wait for the enemy to retreat.
5. Another loyal method of struggle is boiling water. It should be poured either onto a cluster of insects, or, removing the top layer from their home, spill the entire interior with a large amount of hot liquid.

There are a lot of methods of struggle with the help of improvised means, if one method does not work, you can always apply another.

Traps and baits

In addition to intensive fighting methods, baits and traps can be used. But they are used extremely rarely as the main method, since the effectiveness of them is unlikely. Best of all, they act as supportive recommendations.

Traps can be purchased in specialized stores, or you can make yourself. Some of them are equipped with only a repeller, while others contain an adhesive base. Electrical and glue traps are available for sale. Both the first and the second affect only the working ants, hitting them on the spot. All the rest continue to function further, and the uterus will join the ranks of the new generation.

The best of all purchased items are those that contain a poisonous liquid or food that the ant brings to the home.

You can also make traps yourself. The most effective are water barriers. For this purpose, a used car tire is taken, cut into two parts and dug in near the fruiting plant. Water is poured into the cavity, through which the pests cannot independently move.

Self-made sweet syrup gives good results. It contains simple water, honey and sugar. The batch is placed on a plastic bottle cut lengthwise. The inhabitants of the dungeon who visited it can no longer get out. Thus, one has only to show imagination and diligence and you can quickly drive out the annoying inhabitants that spoil fruit plants from your site.

Prevention

To prevent unpleasant residents from appearing, it should be remembered that they love abandoned, uncultivated areas of land for a long time. Therefore, it is better to try to use all the secluded corners of your site in digging, processing and planting garden plants.

If an insignificant anthill is found, it is recommended to immediately start methods of exposure and not wait until their colony grows.

The fight must be introduced at first by easier methods, and only if their effect does not bring results, then it is worth resorting to a chemical attack. Remember that insecticide treatments not only eliminate pests, but also have a detrimental effect on plants and fruits. When digging up an anthill, you need to go deep as deep as possible, as well as dig up the territory near the habitat itself. When loosening, do not neglect ash, lime or wood coals. This will not only improve the quality of the soil substrate, but also completely drive the ants out of their homes.

It is also advisable to apply ash near fruit trees. It will saturate the roots with useful elements, at the same time, preventing the penetration of ants onto the bark of the tree. Thus, ants in small numbers are helpers in everyday life. But if they exceed normal limits, then they become a real disaster, which is not as easy to get rid of as it seems. It is better to use several methods at once to combat, including both folk remedies and chemicals.

More information can be found in the video: