How can we get rid of pavement ants and take our driveway, sidewalks and other walkways back?
One common occurrence every year, at least where I live, are the small ant hills that pop up in the cracks of the driveway and walkway areas. These ant hills are commonly made by pavement ants, which are a real common pest in my neck of the woods. Pavement ants can be a real nuisance when they invade your property. Below we will discuss more about pavement ants, how to spot them, and how to remove them from your property.
How to Identify Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are small insects. Their size ranges from 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch long, and they are light brown or black in color. Pavement ants have long parallel lines down their backs, and their appendages are typically lighter than their bodies.
Pavement ants live deep under the soil when they live outside. As the name implies, these ants can also make their nests in pavements and under stones. They live in colonies with multiple queens and several worker ants. A queen will start a colony by laying eggs. The workers tend the brood until adulthood, possibly moving the colony to keep it safe. Reproduction typically happens among winged adults in June or July; then, the female ants start their own colonies. The reproductive males die off after mating.
The largest hint that would suggest you indeed have an infestation of pavement ants is the spotting of the worker ants. You may also see little mounds of excavated material especially in the cracks of your pavement. Pavement ants can nest indoors, which will cause them to gather at the windows of your home, attempting to get outside to mate.
How Much of a Problem Are Pavement Ants?
Pavement ants are most likely just a pest – not inflicting any real injury to people or property. They can be challenging to remove, however, due to their deep burrowing. They may swarm during mating season, causing a nuisance near your house or in your yard. Pavement ants may displace soil near walkways or sidewalks, but they will not damage your home. Pavement ants are not likely to harm humans. They have the ability to bite or sting but will only do so as a defensive tactic, and they are not known to frequently sting or bite humans. Pavement ants can carry bacteria or viruses from their last source of food into your home.
How to Get Rid of Pavement Ants
There are a few ways to get rid of pavement ants. As in many pest cases one may opt to prevent, repel, or exterminate the pest.
How to Prevent Pavement Ants
Let’s discuss prevention first; because, as always, your best chance at solving the problem of pavement ants is to never have the problem of pavement ants. Pavement ants are attracted to sweet foods, greasy foods, and sources of water. When you notice the first sign of ants, make sure to implement prevention measures to prevent the problem from worsening. Carefully clean your kitchen and dining room surfaces and floors, so there are no crumbs or bits of food left behind to attract these pests. Fix any water leaks and remove any standing sources of water, including pet bowls. Pavement ants can also be attracted to pet food, so put away Fido’s leftovers when you go to bed.
You can also take measures outside of your house to prevent pavement ants from entering. Keep mulch low, less than 2 inches high, and away from your house at least 1 inch. Trim any bushes or foliage to an inch away from the house as well. Seal any cracks or holes in your exterior that may allow for ants or other pests to get in. And as with many pests, such as termites, other species of ants, spiders and silverfish, it is always a good idea not to allow them to easily nest in any firewood stored close to your home. Move that firewood far enough away from your home as a precaution.
Repel Pavement Ants
Unfortunately, if you spot the small mounds of dirt in your walkway or driveway, simply kicking at them or washing the mound with water from your garden hose will do little to drive pavement ants away. Sure your walkway will look prettier for the time being, however, the ant colony is usually located deep into the ground. The pavement ants will continue with their daily routines and rebuild the mounds in due time.
There are some natural repellants that have been previously proven to work well on pavement ants. These repellents are appropriate for homeowners who may have small children or pets that frequent the areas where the pavement ants reside. Certain spices can often double as efficient pavement ant repellants. Try cayenne pepper, dry mint leaves, whole cloves, turmeric, bay leaves, or cinnamon where you have seen their telltale ant mounds popping up from the ground. You will need to refresh whatever spice you choose, however, when it starts losing its scent. Finally, ground coffee is a natural repellant of pavement ants. Sprinkle near cracks or entry points in your house. You can also create your own spray to deter or get rid of pavement ants. Try mixing water and dish soap to spray the ants and their nests. Another homemade spray that is used often is a combination of vinegar and water.
Exterminate Pavement Ants
There are many baits and sprays available that will also get rid of pavement ants by exterminating them. Below are a few options.
Slow-Acting Ant Bait
Since the nests of pavement ants are so difficult to locate and access, the best extermination method is slow-acting ant bait. It must be slow-acting so that the worker ants can bring it back to the nest. You want the whole colony to eat the bait in order to abolish the entire problem. As mentioned previously, spraying the nests with water is ineffective since the nests are typically far below the ground. Many sprays or dusting powders are also fruitless, as they will only stress the ants. In some cases, this may actually be counterproductive and actually increase the number of ants on your property!
There are many pavement ant baits available for commercial purchase if you don’t feel like DIY-ing your pest control. These are made with the same philosophy as the natural ant baits, that the ants will take the poison back to the colony to kill off the whole nest. Use as instructed.
Below are some slow-acting ant bait products available on Amazon.com.
| Liquid Ant Bait Station – By: Terro | MaxForce Ant Control Liquid Bait – By: Bayer |
| Ant Bait Stations – By: Advion |
Natural Bait
Since pavement ants eat a variety of foods, not just sweets, there are a variety of natural bait options. The effectiveness of the bait depends on the nutritional needs of the colony. It may take some experimentation if you do not immediately see results with your chosen bait. However, one recipe for ant bait includes a protein, a sugar, and a natural ant poison, so we recommend trying this as your first natural bait option. It calls for two tablespoons of peanut butter, two tablespoons of honey, and a half teaspoon of borax. Set out near where you see the ants. Replace the ingredients when the bait is emptied. Borax is toxic across species, however, so keep away from pets and babies. A baking soda and powdered sugar mix is also recommended as a natural ant bait. Below are links to a couple of borax products available on Amazon.com.
| Borax Powder – By: Milliard | Borax Powder – By: Earthborn Elements |
Diatomaceous Earth to Get Rid of Pavement Ants
We have mentioned diatomaceous earth many times before on this site, as it an effective pest control means to handle termites, bed bugs, beetles, silverfish and other bugs. Diatomaceous Earth is a light powder that is composed of the fossilized remains of diatoms (a type of algae). When pavement ants come in contact with the substance, it damages their external coating and causes them to squander moisture and expire. Some products available on Amazon.com are below.
| HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Crawling Insect Killer – By Harris | Perma-Guard Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth – By: Perma-Guard Inc. |
| Diatomaceous Earth – 100% Natural Food Grade -By: EasyGoProducts | Diatomaceous Earth, Ready to Use Crawling Bug/Roach Killer – By: Bonide |
Sprays for Pavement Ants
If you do decide to spray the pavement ant nest and are looking for something more potent than a dish soap and water or a vinegar and water combination. Commercial sprays are also available. Below are a few tried and true sprays to exterminate pavement ants (links to Amazon.com).
| Demon Max Insecticide – By: Syngynta | Carpenter Ant and Termite Killer – By: BioAdvanced |
| Viper Insecticide – By: Control Solutions |
Conclusion
Pavement ants are common, but that doesn’t mean you have to share your home and walkways with them. Leave that hospitality up to your neighbors. Try these tips to prevent, repel, and kill pavement ants, and be pavement ant free.
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