Gently expel wood ants from the garden

Driving away wood ants is possible by gentle means, but not always necessary. Because the insects are quite useful animals. You can find out how it works here.

Prevent

In order to drive wood ants away, it is ideal to scare them off at the property line and not offer them any preferred food beyond that. This includes:

• Honeydew excretion of the aphids and the lice themselves
• Leftovers
• Windfalls
• Insects such as woodlice, spiders, ticks and beetles

An early control of aphids is therefore not only useful for affected plants. You should also avoid throwing leftover food on the compost and remove windfalls as quickly as possible.

Garden close to nature

In a near-natural garden there are numerous beneficial insects that maintain the balance. That way a species cannot spread too much. The following criteria are necessary for this:

• do without pesticides
• Plant bee pastures
• Avoid monocultures
• Offer animals shelter
• Spread birdseed
• Integrate bird baths and a garden pond
• Create wild herb meadow

For the purpose of an animal-friendly and natural garden, leave the grass longer in at least one area and also create a variety of plants.

Use smells

Just like some smells that can attract ants, they are kept away from others. For example:

• Nettle manure
• chili
• intense smelling perfume
• chervil
• Garlic broth
• lavender
• Tea tree oil
• thyme
• juniper
• Vermouth stock
• cinammon
• lemon

Once you've discovered an ant trail or even the entire state, applying the scented substances can help drive the wood ants away. However, if the garden is used by children and pets, or if you like to walk barefoot in the area in question, you should first erect a barrier.

Note: The application usually has to be repeated several times. This is especially true if it rains after it has been applied.

water

Wood ants build comparatively large structures. However, the exits are not always easy to find. So look for places that are protected and dry to only slightly damp. The following are possible:

• near food sources
• under planters
• between and under pavement slabs and stones

Once you have found this, you can use water, because the animals do not like moisture. The building will therefore be relocated within a short time. You may still have to repeat the watering several times.

Relocate

Instead of driving the ants away, they can too relocated will. You can build a kind of trap for this. All you need is an empty planter and a spade.

The following steps show the correct procedure:

1. Cover: Place a large flower pot with the open side over the ant nest or one of the exits.

2. Waiting period: Wait a few days. During this time the ants will gather under the planter and move the burrow underneath.

3. Observation: Check every now and then whether there are already many ants under the pot. A hive of activity indicates that the state is concentrated under the cover.

4. Cut out & relocate: The construction is now excavated with a spade. To do this, dig as generously as possible around the flower pot and dig up the earth, including the animals and their offspring. The excavation can then be carried to a more suitable location.

Tip: A suitable and securely closable container from which the ants cannot escape is required for longer journeys. For example, a plastic storage box is useful.

Exterminator

If you cannot drive the wood ants away, you should seek professional help. An exterminator can relocate the nest and also check whether, for example, further protective measures are required to prevent further infestation.

Tip: If Ants in the house and have created a whole nest here - for example under the parquet - they can certainly cause damage. In these cases, an exterminator should be called in immediately.

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