When you discover that you have an ant problem on, underneath, or around your patio, you might go into panic mode. Ants can be a real nuisance when they infest your patio stones, but luckily there is no need for panic mode! There are so many products on the market and tactics that you can take that can help you get rid of an ant infestation. There are also a whole host of natural methods for getting rid of ants! 99% of the time, one or even a combination of the below strategies will rid your patio stones of ants, but keep in mind that if all else fails, an experienced pest exterminator will solve your problem in no time.
If you need to get rid of ants investing your patio stones, you can use products like ant bait traps and non-repellent insecticides. Natural products that can be used to get rid of ants include baking soda, glass cleaner, natural oils, boiling water, black pepper, vinegar, or Diatomaceous earth.
This article will delve into methods to eliminate ant infestations in a fast and safe way. It would be best to try a combination of the suggestions below, as sometimes getting rid of ants can be a lengthy process when you aim to destroy the whole nest, including the queen. Of course, hiring an experienced pest exterminator is always an excellent option, however, lets find out how you can handle this job yourself!
How To Get Rid Of Ants On Your Patio Stones?
The typical ants’ nest can range from small (1000 ants) to massive (10,000 ants), with multiple sub-colonies and queens. Getting rid of the whole colony can be a tall order for a DIYer so if you find that the ant infestation keeps reoccurring you may want to contact a pest exterminator.
If you decide to get rid of ants on, in, and around your patio, give the following products a try. I need to stress that the biggest problem I often find with DIY ant-killing missions is that DIYers often kill a lot of scavenger/worker ants and assume the problem is resolved, but they miss the queen.
If the queen ant is not killed, the ants will relocate and start another colony nest close by, leaving you with the same problem as before. Here are a few products and services that you can use to get rid of ants in your patio area.
Use Bait Traps To Get Rid Of Ants On Your Patio
Ant traps are devices that combine an insecticide with a mixture of food that ants find appealing (proteins, carbs, sugar, and fats). However, the phrase “ant traps” is misleading because many people initially believe ants will enter and never leave the traps.
Because the worker ants will take the outdoor ant bait and transport it back to the nest to feed the colony and queen, make sure you get a slow-acting insecticide to avoid killing the worker ants before the bait reaches the queen.
Ant traps are available at numerous gardening stores and online.
- Bayer Maxforce Bait Stations
- Terro Outdoor Liquid Ant Baits
Boric acid or borax is used in several bait traps. Others contain hydramethylnon, a toxic chemical molecule harmful to children, pets, and food crops like tomato plants. It’s good to verify the ingredients before buying if you’re trying to avoid pollutants.
Use Non-Repellent Insecticides To Get Rid Of Ants
Ants and termites prefer non-repellent insecticides since they cannot detect them and will not attempt to flee. Ants are unable to smell, taste, or even feel non-repellent pesticides.
A non-repellent spray will not normally kill ants on contact and will take longer to kill them, but it will be more damaging to the colony in the long run as it spreads and infects additional ants.
These non-repellent insecticides can be used to spray your patio’s perimeter and the rest of your yard.
- Dominion Insecticide
- Fipronil Plus C Insecticide
How To Get Rid Of Ants On Your Patio Stones Naturally
Before you rush out to buy all sorts of ant traps and ant-killing chemicals, try a couple of these DIY methods with items you already have in your home.
Use Boiling Water To Get Rid Of Your Patio Ants
If you want to get rid of anthills, boiling water can do the trick. After locating the anthills in question, take a boiled kettle full of water and carefully transport it to the anthill. After raking the anthill open, pour boiling water into it.
To make this procedure even more effective, add a few drops of liquid soap to the boiling water. It makes your boiling water even more effective at killing ants, and they won’t know what hit them.
Use Black Or Cayenne Pepper To Get Rid Of Ants
Black Pepper Cayenne Pepper is an old home remedy for putting up barriers to prevent ants. These peppers irritate ant scent trails and will discourage them from returning. Unfortunately, we do not find option as a suitable long term solution for ant prevention when used outdoors. This temporary solutions will offer a respite for a short time period, however, the elements will quickly disrupt your pepper barrier and the ants will then return.
If you do want to try this quick at-home remedy, we suggest applying the pepper in a covered area such as a porch or a covered section of your patio. This way, at the very least, you will see the results for longer.
Use Vinegar And Water To Get Rid Of Ants
Many people also use vinegar and water to exterminate ants (me included). In many ways, this procedure is equivalent to boiling water. It would help if you raked the ant nest apart before pouring in the vinegar and water mixture.
Remember that vinegar can also be used to create a barrier between your patio and the lawn. Many people employ the vinegar barrier approach to keep ants out of their houses.
To deter ants from approaching your patio, spray the surrounding area with a coat of vinegar and water. You will find that it is surprisingly quite effective in most circumstances. Remember that your vinegar and water barrier will carry the same downside as the pepper option noted above, it just won’t last very long outside when faced with the elements.
The vinegar barrier is more effective in an indoor setting, but it might be a decent temporary solution for keeping ants at bay while you’re just trying to enjoy a warm day on your patio.
Use Baking Soda To Get Rid Of Ants
Baking soda is one of the simplest and least expensive methods of permanently eliminating ants. It’s a good, safe alternative to commercial ant killers that use chemicals. However, simply leaving a baking soda trail is unlikely to succeed because it does not attract ants.
With that in mind, you must deceive the ants into taking the “poison.”. Combine it with something that ants enjoy, which, like most humans, is sugar. Because it has a similar consistency as baking soda, it must be powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar.
Powdered sugar is another household ingredient you’ll almost certainly already have on hand. To produce an effective bait, combine sugar and baking soda. As a result, when ants eat the sugar/baking soda, it will react with the acid in their stomach and kill them.
Worker ants are the ants you see moving around. They are natural scavengers, and their task is to gather food from outside the colony and bring it back to the ant nest to feed the others. As a result, they will unwittingly collect your baking soda and sugar concoction and march it back into the nest, killing all the other ants.
It greatly enhances the likelihood of the ants returning with plenty of this deadly mixture rather than dying on the way back. Find the nest and surround it with your homemade bait to eliminate ants with baking soda.
Use Glass Cleaner To Get Rid Of Ants
When ants move, they leave a fragrant pheromone trail as a map. Mix glass cleaning spray and liquid detergent in a spray bottle, and spray the patio where the little critters left a trail.
This mixture will eliminate the ant’s fragrance and prevent them from returning to your patio and home. Spraying ants directly with the concoction will also kill them immediately.
Use Diatomaceous Earth To Get Rid Of Ants
Diatomaceous earth is a form of silica created from the fossilized remnants of diatoms, which are tiny aquatic creatures (a type of plankton).
Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic. It kills ants and other insects by absorbing oils from their skeletons and drying them out. However, because diatomaceous earth is an irritant, please avoid inhaling it or getting it on your body.
Food-grade diatomaceous earth is readily available for purchase online. Follow the package guidelines or sprinkle the powder anywhere you notice ants.
Use Natural Oils To Get Rid Of Ants
Many natural oils make excellent ant repellents; these include:
- Peppermint Oil
- Tea Tree Oil
- Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
- Neem Oil
- Cinnamon Leaf Oil
- Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
Mix the oils with water in spray bottles and spray affected areas, or dip the oils in cotton balls and place them accordingly.
****Please note that most of the above forementioned oils should be kept away from household pets such as cats and dogs. Pets can become seriously ill if they consume oil mixtures.
Use A Pest Exterminator To Get Rid Of Ants On Your Patio
The easiest way to get rid of an ant infestation in your patio area is to call the professionals. A pest exterminator will quickly nullify and kill the legion of ants that’s taken over your beloved patio space.
Yes, it will cost more than using online products or homemade remedies, but if you want the job done right, then a pest exterminator is your best bet.
Can Ants Ruin Patios?
Ants and other pests can damage your paver patio or pathway, resulting in repair work. Ants are the most common source of pest damage in almost all scenarios, as they are the embodiment of group dominance, and they’ll inflict damage on your paver patio!
If you’ve ever had an ant farm, you’ll be able to picture the scene below your patio paving. It’s incredible how much joint and base material these tiny insects can move. When ants break through the surface of your patio, they start to build their nest as they see fit.
Ants can tunnel under and between your blocks and pavers in the sand. These tunnels can compromise the joint’s integrity and allow weeds and moss to thrive.
Will Sealing Patio Stones Deter Ants?
A great approach to prevent an ant infestation is to seal pavers. Let’s face it; you’ll always find insects in your yard, no matter where you reside. However, before we can grasp how sealing keeps ants out, we must first understand what it does.
The sealant works by binding pavers together by hardening joint sand. In addition, the chemical coats the surface in a protective coating. Depending on your sealer, you can see a physical barrier-forming over the flooring.
Ants prefer to build their homes on sand or mud. When sealer comes into touch with joint material, it makes working with it practically impossible.
Conclusion
Ants can be a real pest due to the simple fact that they are literally everywhere. Luckily, there are a number of options that you can take advantage of to reduce or even eliminate these small invaders from your patio stones.
Keep in mind that in most cases, a combination of the above forementioned methods will produce the best results. Setting an ant trap, waiting a few days and then pouring boiling water down the nest is an option that I have found to be highly effective.