Does anyone know a way to get rid of ants from large areas outdoors? It looks like my new backyard is an ant metropolis! I am looking for ways other than massive chemical warfare.
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Tom Baker and other sources have said to give the ants dry grits around their homes and a source of water to drink. When they eat the grits and feed it to the queen ant, and theythen drink some water, the grit expands in their tiny stomachs and explodes.
Checked with my entomologist spouse on this:
The ants will not eat grits; they prefer sweet and other resources.
If they did eat grits and water, the grits would expand and kill the ant before ever getting to a queen.
The only way to kill the ants and queen is to spread broadcast granular ant poison around the entire area. Pets and other animals will die if they ingest ant poison.
My entomologist spouse also notes:
After your current ant population dies from the poison, new ants from other areas will move in to set up new colonies. You will probably have an ongoing battle as long as you live in your house.
Difficult, I know-if all creatures on Earth were weighed, ants would be one quarter of the weight. And, ants were here long before humans arrived; they have well honed survival mechanisms, one of which is survival by number!
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