Skip to content

5.0 star rating on Google

5.0 stars
Get a free quote

Best pest control and lawn care from Austin to Waco

Log in

DIY

How Not to Kill an Ant Colony

Everyone has their own home remedies to get rid of ants. Are these DIY methods effective? Its narrowed down to a few methods. In this series we tackle the most common ways people remove ants--and what actually is proven to work.

Get a free quote

Ants have extensive pathways below the surface, as you can see in the image. The largest cooperative ant colony ever found was over 3700 miles, starting in Italy and ending in Spain. While the colonies in and near your backyard probably aren’t that large, you can still be hosting thousands of ants right under your patio. If you want to rid yourself of the insect, you’ll want to know what doesn’t work.

Boiling Water

Pouring boiling water into an ant hill doesn’t kill the entire colony, but just effectively kills the immediate ants at the top of the nest. While the entrance to the colony appears small, below is a cavernous space to house thousands of ants. The ants without severe burns will simply tunnel out and rebuild.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of ancient aquatic organisms called diatoms. This type of silica isn’t a poison, but it in theory kills ants and other bugs by absorbing the oils in their skeletons which in turn dries them out. Pouring silica on the mound might work semi-effectively on the colony. Diatomaceous earth is an irritant, so if you do choose to use it avoid breathing it in or getting it on your skin.

Cornstarch

Another common solution is to pour cornstarch on the ants to smother them. You have two options after that: add water or vacuum the ants. Adding water is messy, but the dead ants do get encased into the cornstarch mixture. The second option is to vacuum the cornstarch and ants, and then immediately dispose of the vacuum bag outside. Pouring cornstarch on an ant hill has the same effects as boiling water. The ants will simply rise from the dust and rebuild.

Where are we going with this?

Eradicating an entire colony can be tricky business. Sometimes it requires knowing what type of ant you are dealing with, cutting off food sources for the insect, and using the right balance of chemical deterrents.

Our experts can provide immediate treatment and determine the best course of action to ensure a complete eradication of the colony. Give us a call today!

Sources Image: Fire Ants by Judly Gallagher

GET STARTED TODAY!

Get a Free Estimate

By submitting this form, you are agreeing to the privacy policy.

"

These guys are the best! Incredibly friendly, fast, and super knowledgeable. They answer my texts in seconds, schedule visits ASAP, and are very thorough both in their service and filling me in on what I need to know and look out for. Plus, love working with a family-owned business. 10/10 recommend!

Becca Sherman in 2021.
Root Home Services truck

Same day service

Get started today!

Call us

Service Areas

The Award Winning Pest & Lawn Company in Austin, TX

Our thorough pest and lawn care solutions provide with elimination from, ants, fungi, roaches, spiders along with pesky weeds and more! Give us a call and find out how we can help get your home back on track. We serve all of Travis and Williamson Counties as well as Hays and Bastrop Counties.

Full Service Area County Map
Get a free quote

© 2024 Root Home Services, All rights reserved.

Privacy PolicyCookie PolicyTerms of Service

Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on these pages are copyrighted by Root Home Services. No part of these pages, either text or image may be used for any purpose. Therefore, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, for any reason, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.