We only started mulching with commercial mulches(Bagged) a couple of years = ago. Since them we have been seeing more tiny ants in the house. And DH say= s they are outside, he saw a column of them climbing the foundation, which = he despatched with insect killer. Is the mulch attracting them? Does it need to be treated? Sprayed? Not used= next to the foundation?? He used to use peatmoss to top dress the gardens= . With the advent of the colored mulches, we started using the red/browns a= s our log sided home is a cinnamon color. Thanks in advance for any and all help. We are in Delaware in the middle of the peninsula. Our soil is very clay he= avy. Nanzi
ago. Since them we have been seeing more tiny ants in the house. And DH says they are outside, he saw a column of them climbing the foundation, which he despatched with insect killer.
next to the foundation?? He used to use peatmoss to top dress the gardens. With the advent of the colored mulches, we started using the red/browns as our log sided home is a cinnamon color.
There are ant barrier insecticides that you can sprinkle around your foundation and water in. I would have done it over a month ago here in Northern DE but got a termite treatment last year when I saw them too close to the house for comfort. The termite treatment apparently should also keep ants down and there are Bayer DYI products you can find at Lowes or HD.
We had a couple of bad ant years but not since I started putting down the barrier insecticide. You also want to go around your foundation and look for cracks where ants may be marching into the house.
Termites also go for wood mulches but I think cedar is resistant. Don't know about ants. Both ants and termites need moisture and mulch is probably not helping.
ago. Since them we have been seeing more tiny ants in the house. And DH says they are outside, he saw a column of them climbing the foundation, which he despatched with insect killer.
next to the foundation?? He used to use peatmoss to top dress the gardens. With the advent of the colored mulches, we started using the red/browns as our log sided home is a cinnamon color.
spraying an ant column is unlikely to do much to kill the ant colony.
there are bait stations and bait gels that will be ingested and taken back to the queen to take care of the infestation in the house. read and follow directions on package. after that is done, find the cracks/gaps in the house exterior and seal them up. you won't need to poison anything else after that to keep them out. especially if you do not have easy water or food sources that they can find if a random scout does get in.
to discourage ants in the wood chip mulch put it down thickly over a weed barrier fabric and fold the edges over each other and pin it down so that there are no gaps for weeds or ants to get through. there are species of ants that will use bark or wood as a home, but if the wood chips or bark are treated it's pretty unlikely they'll find that a welcome home until after they start breaking down and become humus. when that happens they should be refreshed (scrape off the top layer of good chips until you get down to the bottom of broken down material, scrape that up carefully to not damage the weed barrier fabric, then replace the good chips and add more to top it off, around here we have to do this about every five years).
if you live in termite country i recommend not keeping any wood near the foundation of a house and also hiring a professional to treat the perimeter to keep them from finding it a welcome feasting spot. do this _before_ putting down a weed barrier or mulch around the house foundation.
Keep mulch a couple of feet away from your house, but more importantly don't leave any thing sweet out, uncovered in the house. If you keep counter tops clean, they will lose interest, and leave.
Mea culpa. I'm sorry I didn't noticed the 'in' the house. I saw your mention of the foundations and thought they were outside. I've got limited sympathy for the many people have to kill all forms of life that live in the garden and which might not do what the human owners of the garden expect.
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