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Real Estate Tips
Wednesday, January 29, 2025

How to Get Rid of Ant Hills: Effective and Eco-Friendly Solutions

Ant hills may seem like a small bump in your yard, but these tiny mounds can quickly become a big problem. Kids or pets walking through them, seasonal swarmers, devourers of your garden crops…ants create plenty of frustrating scenarios. The good news? Getting rid of ant hills doesn’t have to be a losing battle. With a mix of natural remedies, smart prevention tips, and, if needed, targeted treatments, you can take control of your yard and send those ants packing—without harming the environment or your enjoyment of the great outdoors. Explore how to tackle this challenge head-on by addressing all the ants to prevent recurring problems.

A mound of dirt resembling an ant hill is situated on a grassy area with a concrete edge in the background. To the left, there is a teal hexagonal pattern with a logo inside featuring "ez" and a house icon, evoking strategies on how to get rid of ant hills efficiently.

Understanding Ant Hills

What Are Ant Hills?

Ant hills are more than unsightly dirt mounds—they’re the tip of an extensive underground colony. Ants build these mounds as ventilation for their elaborate tunnel systems, which house their queen, workers, and food stores. What you see above ground is just a fraction of the complex structure below. Inside could live hundreds to thousands of worker ants. And, no two species of ants build their ant mound in the same way. 

Why Do Ant Hills Form?

Our yards invite ant colonies to form under certain conditions. Loose, dry, or sandy soil makes it easier to dig tunnels, while moisture, plant debris, and food scraps provide the sustenance ants are looking for. 

Should your backyard check these boxes, you’ll likely see one (or an army) of those nuisance mounds pop up. The ants use their tough bodies to compact the earth and create underground tunnels and chambers. Some ants build the entire colony underground. The extra soil is moved outside, creating the ant mound you see. Others build entirely above ground, helping them regulate temperatures. Different species shape their mounds in different ways.

Ant mounds themselves aren’t usually the problem. They actually help loosen the soil, aerating around the roots and bringing nutrients down. It’s the ants that most people don’t like, as they bite and sting. But, to effectively eliminate an ant infestation, it is crucial to target the ant colony itself.

Assessing the Problem

Identify the Ant Species

Text reading "Formica ant mounds can reach 8.2 ft in circumference!" is overlaid on an image of ants, hinting at how to get rid of ant hills effectively. The background is dark, with bold white letters. A small hexagon with "ez" sits at the bottom center.
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First things first—know your enemy. Not all ants are created equal, and the type of ant dictates the best method to remove them. For instance:

  • Fire Ants – Aggressive and a painful sting. Requires more strategic action.
  • Pavement Ants – Common around concrete or patios. Easier to tackle with natural remedies.
  • Black Garden Ants – Relatively harmless but persistent—think careful deterrence.
  • Carpenter Ants – Often mistaken for large black ants, these ants nest in moist, decayed wood and can cause significant structural damage to homes. Look for signs of infestation to prevent the destruction they can inflict on wooden structures.
Close-up of a black ant on a surface with a blurred background, subtly reminding viewers of the importance of knowing how to get rid of ant hills. On the left, a teal and white graphic displays a honeycomb pattern and the letters "ez" inside a hexagon.

Not all species of ants will build a mound structure, either. Some common ants that build mounds in the U.S. are:

  • Fire Ants: Their ant mound is usually built of fine sand grains, found near a structure like a post or tree or out in the open.
  • Harvester Ants: These ants prefer dry soils and keeping a neat home. They will clear out around the opening.
  • Formica Ants: Because of their black exoskeleton, this family of ants can be confused with pesky carpenter ants. They build large ant mounds and will rebuild if disturbed. They tend towards open areas.

Evaluate the Scope

Take a walk around your lawn to assess the situation. Are there multiple hills, or just one or two? Is the colony taking over a specific area, or spreading across your backyard? The size and number of ant hills, even one ant hill, will help you determine how to proceed with the ant infestation.

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ant Hills

It’s not enough to rake down the soil or kick over a mound when you see ants in your yard, as thousands could live in underground tunnels. Some species even get right to work rebuilding their destroyed mound in the same exact spot. It takes multiple disturbances to get most ants to move to new territory.

Hot Water Treatment

Boiling water is a quick, affordable solution to eradicating ants. Simply rake away the outside dirt pile as much as possible, then pour the water directly onto the ant mound. It seeps through the tunnels, killing the ants inside. However, pouring boiling water may take multiple applications as tunnels and chambers can go deep into the ground. Hot water will also kill your grass. Be careful with applying so as not to burn yourself. Pro tip: Add a few drops of dish soap for even more impact.

Vinegar and Water Mixture

Simply mix equal parts of white vinegar and water, and pour it onto the mound. Ants detest the smell and acidity of vinegar, making this an easy and eco-friendly way to evict your unwanted tenants. 

Boric Acid

Alternatively, you can use a borax solution mixed with a sweet substance to attract and eliminate ants. Do be cautious, as boric acid is toxic to both ants and surrounding plants. You may not wish to use this in your yard if you have pets or young kids.

Place the boric acid mixture near the ant hill or a food source. Let the ants swarm the bait and carry it back to the colony.

A person wearing a blue glove gently sprinkles soil over a garden bed, nurturing the budding plants while pondering how to get rid of ant hills. A hexagonal logo with "ez" rests on the left side against a teal background.

Diatomaceous Earth

Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth (a natural, mineral-based powder) around the ant hill. This substance dehydrates the ants without harming pets, garden beds, or the environment. Reapply after rain for continuous protection.

Baking Soda

Baking soda clogs ants’ exoskeletons and causes a chemical reaction that kill them. Sprinkle granules on top of the ant hill and trails. Use it to create a barrier wherever you do not want ants to go. To make a bait, mix with powdered sugar. Ants love the sweetness.

Essential Oils

Some ants can’t stand the smell of peppermint, tea tree, or citronella oil, which can be particularly useful if environmental factors in your yard attract ants. Mix about 10–15 drops of oil with water and spray it generously around ant hills. Bonus point? Your yard will smell amazing!

Artificial Sweeteners

Did you know that aspartame and saccharin can kill ants? The fake sugars are a neurotoxin. Combine with another sweetener to create an ant bait and place around the mound.

Chemical Solutions for Severe Infestations

A hand sprays insecticide along a windowsill where ants march relentlessly. Need to know how to get rid of ant hills? A logo with "ez" in a hexagon graces the right, set against an intriguing geometric hexagonal pattern.

Sometimes the ants in your yard aren’t responding to home remedies the way you hoped. If the ants refuse to budge or your lawn is overrun with aggressive species (hello, fire ants!), it’s time to consider chemical treatments to kill ants. These products are designed to eliminate colonies quickly.

Safe Application of Pesticides

Choose ant-specific pesticides and apply them directly at night or early morning when ants are most active. Use only as directed to minimize harm to beneficial insects like bees or earthworms. Early identification and treatment of an ant infestation are crucial to managing the problem before it escalates.

Ant Bait Stations

Do you have pets or young kids at home you want to keep chemicals away from? Another method for getting rid of ants is using ant baits. These baits attract ants to a poisoned bait that they carry back to their colony. The bait ultimately aims to kill the queen and disrupt the infestation. Targeted gels or baits placed around the colony are usually more effective and less invasive than sprays.

Preventing Future Ant Hills

The most effective method to avoid having ant mounds pop up is to prevent ants from falling in love with your yard in the first place. Repelling is easier (and stings less!) than removing them.

A large group of ants swarming on sandy soil underneath green grass. The left side of the image features a teal geometric design with a hexagon containing the letters "ez." Ideal for those curious about how to get rid of ant hills effectively.

Maintain a Healthy Lawn

A healthy, well-kept lawn is less inviting to ants. Regularly mow your grass, aerate the soil, and remove thatch buildup. This not only discourages ants but also helps your lawn thrive. Effective lawn maintenance is crucial for keeping ants away and preventing infestations.

Remove Food and Water Sources

Ants are scavengers drawn to leftover food scraps and moisture. Clean up yard debris, seal trash bins, and fix leaky faucets to deprive ants of what they want. Be thoughtful about where you keep a compost pile. Trim back trees and shrubs so they don’t touch the house, so you don’t get ants inside your home. Remove standing water–even your pretty bird baths can attract ants. Additionally, using a garden hose to flood ant hills can destroy ant colonies, but this takes multiple follow-ups to work.

Use Barriers and Repellents

Natural repellents, such as cinnamon or coffee grounds, can create unwelcoming borders. Cayenne pepper works to repel most species. Baking soda and diatomaceous earth also repel, but they must be reapplied after rain.

For more persistent issues, install physical barriers, such as landscaping fabric or pesticide-treated granules, to block their entry points. 

When to Call a Professional

Signs You Need Help

If you’ve exhausted all DIY methods and find ant hills keep returning, it might be time to bring in the pros. A professional pest control service can precisely handle severe infestations and guarantee results. Some pest control services utilize organic methods, while others will use ant poison to target the nests in your yard.

What to Expect from Professional Services

Most pest control experts will assess the infestation, identify ant species, and apply targeted treatments to kill and repel ants. They’ll also provide tips to prevent future ant problems, so you won’t need to make another call anytime soon. Some tips also help with getting rid of other pesky insects.

Why Ant Mounds Are Good

Ant hills aren’t always a bad thing for your lawn and garden. Since they carry plant matter under the ground, they bring helpful nutrients into the soil. Their tunnels and nesting chambers loosen up compacted ground, effectively aerating the yard. They also eat other pesky insects that nest around the grass and garden. Instead, you may consider natural ways to repel from high-use areas around your lawn.

How to Get Rid of Ant Hills

Getting rid of ant mounds doesn’t have to mean battling ants forever. Understanding what attracts these tiny invaders, using natural or chemical solutions effectively, and taking preventive steps can keep nests out of your yard and garden.

Remember, it’s all about finding the best method for your situation. Whether you choose the eco-friendly route or call the pros occasionally, the goal is to reclaim and enjoy your backyard again.

FAQ

Does destroying ant hills with a water hose work?

While boiling hot water does kill ants, soaking a mound with a water hose doesn’t. You may end up with swarming ants in your yard. Some ant species are incredible swimmers and can survive being underwater for 24 hours. What you may do is make them angry. You’ll have to soak the ant mound over multiple days to discourage them from returning. Be careful to keep your distance to avoid painful stings.

Are ants bad for my garden?

Ants can ally in the garden when their populations are balanced, but monitoring their activity to prevent issues is good. It depends on the type of ant and your specific garden situation. Ants tunnel through the soil, improving its aeration and drainage, which can help plants’ roots grow. They contribute to decomposing organic matter, enriching the soil with nutrients. Some ants prey on other garden pests like caterpillars and aphids. But, some ants “farm” aphids, protecting them from predators in exchange for honeydew, which can lead to aphid infestations on your plants. Their nesting activities can disturb roots, especially in potted plants or delicate seedlings. Certain aggressive or invasive ants, like fire ants, can disrupt the balance of your garden ecosystem and pose a risk to you and your plants.

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Preston Guyton