# Self red ant control or let nature play?



## Dizney (Jul 29, 2020)

So I'm finally starting to redo my backyard. Its about 25 feet by 35 feet. Without going into details no one cares about, bottom line, it got really bad with weeds and the grass all died. Well fast forward to this summer, everything died. So I decided to just start fresh. Pulled everything. Dead weeds, dead grass, and all that's left is dirt.

So I'm now at the process of wanting to put down a top soil, seed, and then just give it some tender love and care with hopes for the beautiful lawn I once had to regrow. The problem is, after pulling everything leaving the dirt that almost has the consistency of sand, there are a ton of red ants.

What my question is, should I first kill the red ants first, take care of that issue before I lay out things to grow my lawn, or will what I lay out for the lawn take care of the ant problem?

Thanks in advance!


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## Burnie (Jun 13, 2020)

Go ahead and kill the ants, doing nothing they will just get worse. I have found a blanket coverage of the whole area is better than spot treating (granular or liquid).


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

I'm w Burnie - Nuke 'em!


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## Dizney (Jul 29, 2020)

Burnie said:


> Go ahead and kill the ants, doing nothing they will just get worse. I have found a blanket coverage of the whole area is better than spot treating (granular or liquid).


Thanks for the response!

So even with me putting the top soil and seed, there's a good chance that wouldn't kill them or have them leave?


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## Burnie (Jun 13, 2020)

Dizney said:


> So even with me putting the top soil and seed, there's a good chance that wouldn't kill them or have them leave?


Adding soil and seed will not affect the ants to any degree. They may have to rebuild their mounds, which they do after a mow or heavy rain, but I don't see where it would kill them or have them leave. Hit it with insecticide.


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## KoopHawk (May 28, 2019)

Dizney said:


> Burnie said:
> 
> 
> > Go ahead and kill the ants, doing nothing they will just get worse. I have found a blanket coverage of the whole area is better than spot treating (granular or liquid).
> ...


They would leave. They would go right into your house. I had bare dirt this spring and lots of ants inside the house. The thicker the grass is getting, the fewer and fewer ants we're seeing.


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## Dizney (Jul 29, 2020)

KoopHawk said:


> Dizney said:
> 
> 
> > Burnie said:
> ...


Oh wow. Mine are red ants though. I don't recall having red ant problems in the house. But either way, it sounds like killing the ants first is the way to go. Thanks everyone!


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## KoopHawk (May 28, 2019)

Dizney said:


> KoopHawk said:
> 
> 
> > Dizney said:
> ...


Mine were red too. Turns out red ants don't really like any of the any bait traps from the hardware store!


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