Should You Get Rid Of The Ants In The Garden or Garden Beds

Ants are common in most gardens and yards. They ran back and forth with small pieces of organic matter. They are an important part of the outdoor ecosystem, but because they are too small, people will forget them until they become a problem like other garden pests. The following content also has some reference value for raised garden beds.

But the question is, should you get rid of the ants in the garden? Learn all the information you need to know about these small animals in the yard, and whether they are the problems you need to solve!

Should you get rid of the ants in the garden?

It can be tricky to figure out whether you should get rid of the ants in the garden. The answer depends on the situation!

Ants are very good for the garden, so removing them is not always the best choice. But it will make you run to the hill. These ants may sting you when working in the yard, so it may be the best way to drive them away.

But before you make a decision or drive out the ants in the garden, please remember the following precautions.

Benefits of ants in the garden

Ants have existed on the earth for a long time, 80 million years to be exact! They are one of the most resilient and persistent garden insects. They don't just think about themselves; Having beneficial insects like ants can actually help your garden. These are some benefits that ants can bring to your outdoor oasis.

They eat other pests

One of the greatest benefits of keeping ants in your garden is that in the insect world, they are quite high on the food chain. They prey on insect larvae, eat aphid milk and help control pest populations. When insects die in your garden, they will also eat the bodies left behind. Therefore, they actually help clean dead insects in your garden!

Ants fertilize the soil

Ants are good at fertilizing the soil in the garden. When they encounter organic matter from plants or animals, they will take it back to the nest. By doing so, they act as recycling centers. They sort out unwanted organic materials, eat and process them, and then leave nutrients to fertilize the soil.

They promote soil aeration

When ants move around in the garden soil, they form small tunnels. This helps loosen and aerate the soil. Therefore, water and air can flow more freely in the whole soil, providing a good foundation for plant growth. In fact, ants loosen the soil like worms!

Get rid of fire ants

Although ants do provide great benefits to the garden, sometimes they can also be a big problem. Fire ants are one of the most common culprits of ant damage in vegetable gardens.

If you plant potatoes or okra in the garden, they are vulnerable to fire ants. Then, in case of drought, they may also start to eat the stems of seedlings. If they sting you or damage your crops, you'd better get rid of them.

Send fire ant package with bait trap

One of the most effective ways to get rid of fire ants in the garden is to use specific bait traps for ants. The bait trap contains toxic substances, such as boric acid or borax. It also has materials that attract ants, such as peanut butter or soybean oil.

When ants pick up attractive substances, they will bring toxic substances back to their colonies. Eating bait will kill the ants and queens in the ant colony. By using this method, you can get rid of up to 80% of the fire ant community.

Remember, you may need to try this method several times to succeed. For best results, place traps when the ants are active and the temperature is higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Put it near the entrance of their nest when the weather is sunny for several days. Then wait a few weeks to spread the bait all over the colony. You may need to reapply traps in spring, summer and autumn, depending on their success.

Note: If you buy bait traps for the vegetable garden, please check the label first to see if it is safe to use them around the vegetables. It is best to avoid the trap containing ethyl acetate as the active ingredient. Although this is a common ingredient in the lawn ant trap, it is not safe to use in the vegetable garden.

Ants, do they stay or go?

The answer is, depending on the situation! If there are no fire ants stung you and eating your vegetables in your garden, you'd better let them stay. They can even help by reducing other pests, fertilizing the soil and improving ventilation. However, if fire ants cause problems, bait traps are an effective way to solve the problem and can help you get rid of these annoying pests.