Gardening expert shares ‘long term’ remedy to kill ants and ‘wipe out’ other pests

Gardening expert shares ‘long term’ remedy to kill ants and ‘wipe out’ other pests

06/28/2021

This Morning: Alice Beer shares tips for removing pests

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With warm temperatures, insects and other pests can appear in your backyard causing harm to your garden space and plants. Large infestations of ants invading your garden can be one of the most common problems you face this summer.

Luckily, garden expert Alice Beer has shared some tips to get rids of pests – and especially unwanted ant invasions – but has warned to be careful when using certain remedies.

Bait traps filled with chemical products are one of the most common solutions to get rid of pests.

However, the strong chemicals not only kill the insects you are targetting but also the bigger animals higher up the food chain.

“In the past, we have gone for the bait traps, which have a very strong chemical in them, or the powder which you break open and spray everywhere,” the expert said.

“These are really strong and not only harmful to ants, but ants of course are a food source for other little guys further up the food chain.

“So you’re not only poisoning and killing your ants but you are also poisoning its toxic to the guys higher up the food chain,” she said.

However, the expert explained these are very useful if you want to deter all pests from your garden.

“It can be very long-term harmful. If this was introduced in the aquatic environment, that’s there for a really long time and it can wipe out aquatic life.”

“So we need to be really gentle about what we are doing,” she recommended.

If killing ants is specifically what you are after, the expert explained that cleaning can be an easy solution if you want to avoid causing greater harm to other species.

“You can deter ants of course by mopping up, cleaning up.

“They are only coming in because they want protection from heavy rain, for example.”

When there are heavy storms, she explained, “there will be ants all over your garden because they are coming up because their nest has been flooded.”

“When it’s particularly warm, they are looking for water. There is always a reason.”

An alternative solution is to get rid of ants naturally, as opposed to using ant-killing pesticides or other strong chemical products.

Sprinkling diatomaceous earth over the ant mound is a very effective solution. The tiny granules kill ants and other insects as they digest them.

Cornmeal or baby powder on ant mounds is also very effective when trying to eradicate them.

Some experts also recommend using a tea made from pipe tobacco. Just soak the tobacco in water overnight and pour the liquid into the ant nest.

For small numbers of ants, applying vinegar and water to the area can also give great results.

By using natural products, you will only target ants and avoid poisoning other animals.

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