Ant control: Eradicating Colonies

You may always find an ant here and there in your house. Don’t panic. There are always ants out scouting for food. However if you keep you home clean and sealed up, they will just move along.

Moving ant colonies
There are many good reasons to actually have certain species of ants in your yard, so don’t worry too much about the ones outside unless they bite and sting. Fire ants should be destroyed, but other species are native and can be left alone. If you have a colony you feel is too close to your house though, try flooding it with the garden hose several days in a row. The ants will get tired of the monsoon and pack up for drier grounds.

If you are unlucky enough to have had a colony take up residence in a potted plant here is how to send them packing:

• Put the potted plant in a bowl of water so that they cannot exit any which way.
• Make a bridge out of a yard stick or something else the ants can cross.
• Take the plant outside, flood it and let it drain - then flood it again and keep repeating. The ants will begin to exit, carrying all their worldly goods. Keep flooding until they are all out and bring the plant inside.