Spending excellent time outside your house, on your lawn, could be a great way to pass the time, especially on warm days. However, it is unfortunate that ants love to take advantage of the warm weather to wander around on your lawn.
Some people in the United States have decided to install artificial grass in their outer space to keep out the annoying ants and other tests like bugs. Check to find out if genuinely artificial grass deters ants from your lawn.
Here in this guide, we are going to walk you through answers that take all of your doubts away about the installation of artificial grass on your lawn as an effective way to wade off insects like ants from invading your space. Read on to learn more.
Are Ants Attracted to Artificial Grass?
Although natural and artificial grass may look alike, those ants know the difference between them. Ants are usually not attracted to artificial grass because they lack the needed resources to encourage their growth.
Notwithstanding, ants could be attracted to your artificial lawn when you leave food residue on the lawn, do not take care of the lawn regularly, or keep a dirty environment.
Why Are Ants Not Attracted to Artificial Grass?
The primary reason you may not find ants on artificial grass is that it does not support their breeding requirement. Unlike natural grass with soil underneath, artificial grass has a protective base that does not support the breeding of ants.
Below are a few other reasons you should consider adding artificial turf to your lawn in deterring ants.
1. Artificial grass gets Rid of the Nesting Site
When you install artificial grass in your compound, it gets rid of any nesting site for ants. In installing artificial grass, natural grass, as well as any layer of soil, is taken out. This will discourage any form of nesting for ants.
Many ant species love to build their best in soils, implying that they will have no access to natural soil when artificial grass is installed. In this case, ants must look for a better place to build their nest.
2. Stops Access to Water
One of the benefits of having artificial grass on your lawn is that it gets rid of moisture effectively. Unlike natural grass that absorbs moisture from rain and water splashed from the swimming pool, artificial grass has a better drainage system that removes moisture and leaves a dry surface.
Ants and other pests need water as a primary source of survival. If they cannot find moisture coupled with soil in your yard, the chances are high that ants will not stick around that vicinity but find a more conducive environment for their survival.
3. Gets Rid of Food Sources
A primary food source for ants and pests, in general, is soil. Artificial grass lacks soil and would deter ants from propagating in your compound. Ants love to feed on grass and other plants; because your artificial grass is not organic, ants will get angry and possibly find a better place to feed.
Does Artificial Grass Eliminate All Ants?
Although having artificial grass in your compound may be able to deter ants from crawling into your yard, it doesn’t stop them from finding their way into your private space. To answer the question, artificial grass will eliminate ants from disturbing your time-out with friends and loved ones.
If you notice ants are infesting your natural lawn, you should consider installing an artificial grass lawn to wade off ants from your space. An important thing to keep in mind while installing artificial grass is the method and materials used to achieve the installation process.
How Do Ants Damage Our lawn?
There are a handful of ways through which ants can still damage your lawn, even with installing artificial grass.
1. The Material and Method of the Artificial Grass
The material of the artificial grass is the primary factor that attracts ants to your lawn until they start to cause significant damage. Installation of artificial grass with the wrong material may have some layer of sand beneath them.
Sand, on the other hand, allows ant activity to increase as they can start building their nest in the soil. If you’re planning to switch from natural to artificial grass, it is expedient that you do your research on the best method of installation as well as the material of the grass.
2. Pest in the Garden
Gardens full of flowers are lovely to have around in the compound. However, the disadvantage of having a garden is their affinity for pests, including aphids. Aphids are known to produce honeydew that attracts ants to your yard. If aphids infest your garden, there’s a likelihood that ants will be attracted to your lawn.
In a situation like this, you’re expected to take good care of your garden and ensure that it is free from pests that could attract other pests.
3. Debris in the Yard
There is no guarantee that artificial grass will get rid of all debris in the yard. During autumn, dry leave may constantly fall on the artificial grass and can harbor ants. To ensure that your yard is free from precipitating debris, carry out routine cleanup whenever there’s heavy wind or rain.
4. Conducive Environment
Indeed, installing artificial grass will keep away ants from your yard, but this doesn’t mean that they will not creep into your private space. When there’s a conducive environment for ants to grow, they will do so in their numbers. Water, food, and shelter attract ants to your yard.
4 Ways Ants Can Ruin Your Lawn
Ants are not just pests; they can be destructive if given a chance. Here are some of the ways ants can ruin your lawn.
1. When You don’t Clean Your Lawn
Constant cleaning will clear your lawn of any debris or contaminants that could attract ants. When you don’t take care of your lawn by cleaning it, ants will invade the space and may start destroying what you’ve invested so much in having.
2. You Leave Crumbs on Your Lawn
Hosting your friends on your beautiful lawn is always fun and exciting. However, events like picnics and outdoor celebrations could leave a heap of crumbs on the floor of your lawn as an aftermath of the celebration. When you leave the crumbs on your lawn for too long, ants will find their way into it.
3. You Have an Infested Garden
As explained earlier, having an infested garden full of flowers full of aphids will welcome ants to your lawn in a destructive way. To avoid this, ensure you take care of your garden by scheduling time to clean out waste and every unwanted item that could cause second-degree damage to your lawn.
4. Unkept Trees
Trees are known to be a place where ants hang out often. When you don’t prune nearby trees, you are encouraging ant propagation. When this happens, ants could be easily migrated when nested on the dried leaves that are blown on your lawn.
How To Get Rid of the Ants in Your Yard?
Ants and pests can be a significant problem in your house and yard. Good news, there are ways through which you can get rid of ants in your yard as well as in your house.
1. Pest Proof Your Yard/Home
The main reason why ants will find their way to your yard or home is when they find comfort. Once there is no provision for their necessities, your yard will be free of them.
2. Clean up the Yard
Your lawn is the best place to hang out or have a picnic when you have unique visitors. While enjoying the moment, crumbs could fall on the grass or the floor of your home. This will attract ants to the spot with spills or crumbs on the floor.
3. Take Out Water Sources
You can get rid of water sources by totally replacing or repairing leaky pipes or unwanted water sources. Also, ensure that you take care of water logs that could attract similar pests.
Is Artificial Grass the Only Material that Deters Ants?
So far, artificial grass is the most effective way to eliminate ants on your lawn. Other alternatives like pea gravel and decomposed granites may be suitable for setting up a good space around your pool, but they, to some extent, encourage ant invasion.
This is because gravel and granite do not remove the underlying natural soil where ants can nest. In artificial grass installation, the soil is covered by multiple layers such that it is almost as though it never existed.
Also, some chemicals, pesticides, and insecticides can also deter help deter ants.
Conclusion
Artificial grass is an excellent way to get rid of ants. If you notice ants infesting your natural lawn and wish to have a more conducive environment around your swimming pool, installing artificial grass could be the best decision. But do ensure you don’t bring dirt’s and contaminating substances.