How do i eliminate red ants from my garden?

Question

I recently had our garden planted with bluegrass. At first it was growing okay, but i noticed that it looks dry and the leaves look thinner than before. I noticed many red ants were burrowing in the soil, which i guess caused the grass to dry. How do i eliminate them without killing the grass?

Answer 1

Pouring boiling water on ants has been an old favorite way to kill ants, but that might kill your grass, so it's not an option.
Using borax is more effective on other types of ants, & can become unhealthy for your soil, so that's not a solution either.
Cinnamon won't kill ants but will repell them.

An extract from grated orange peels... D-Limonenean (orange oil)... "kills Red ants".

Kimberly Engler, Texas Cooperative Extension program specialist for urban Integrated Pest Management uses a two-step program: Baits & treating the ant mounds with a product containing D-Limonenean.
Baits ( Safer Brand Fire Ant Bait and Green Light Fire Ant Control with Conserve) contain Spinosad a product formed from a common bacteria found in nature, Engler said. "Once ingested by the fire ant, spinosad attacks the nervous system causing paralysis and death."

Some organic individual mound drenches that are listed by Organic Materials Review Institute are Safer Brand Fire Ant Mound Drench and Citrex Fire Ant Killer, both containing the active ingredient d-limonene.
Here's why orange oil kills red ants:
D-Limonenean, an extract of orange oil
"destroys the wax coating of the insect's respiratory system," Engler said. "When applied directly, the insect suffocates."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/05/040510014001.htm

Another site advises uses molasses & compost tea with orange oil: "A solution of equal parts orange oil, compost tea and molasses. Pour the mixture directly into the hole of a fire ant mound. Orange oil is effective at destroying the protective shell of fire ants. Compost tea contains microorganisms that feed on fire ants. Molasses is a food source for the microorganisms in compost tea. Molasses helps to increase the number of predatory microorganisms in a fire ant mound."
http://www.sleddnursery.com/Organics.htm

Good luck! Hope this helps.

Answer 2

cinnamon kills ants in your house. Go buy the really cheap cinnamon at walmart- it is only 50 cents. Sprinkle it all over. It is worth a try.

On second thought- try a small area first, although I doubt it would hurt your grass.

Answer 3

i could get between the granular ant killers that final all season.i exploit it each and every 3 hundred and sixty 5 days to administration hearth ants.I unfold mine over the backyard suitable previously a sturdy rain is anticipated.you should although use a sprinkler to water it in properly.little or no residual will proceed to be on the exterior, although verify the label of the product you purchase.

Answer 4

Try red pepper.... think it will work better than cinnamon as it is quite strong and has no sweet smell.