Effective ant control: A simple homemade trap for your garden

Although ants generally benefit the garden ecosystem, an overpopulation can cause damage. At that point, using a simple but effective trap can solve this problem quickly.

Usually, the presence of ants in the garden is beneficial. These tiny insects clean the lawn of organic debris thoroughly and aerate the soil by digging underground tunnels, making it more fertile.

However, if the ant population in our garden grows significantly, it's better to act before they destroy flowering ornamental plants, for example. Before using chemical agents available in garden stores, it's worth trying methods that are less harmful to the environment.

An effective method is to prepare a simple homemade trap you can make in just a few minutes. You will need an empty plastic bottle, such as a water bottle, sugar, honey, and borax.

Add a heaping tablespoon of borax and an equal amount of sugar and honey into the bottle. Shake it thoroughly to combine the ingredients. Then, cut an opening in the bottle so the ants can enter and place the prepared trap in the garden—preferably where there are the most insects.

The sugar will attract the ants, which will eagerly consume the mixture and get poisoned by the borax. If one of them carries the food back to the nest, as they often do, it will poison the entire colony.

Although borax, or sodium borate, is an ecological alternative to chemical agents, caution is needed when using it. Improper use can cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation.

Therefore, when using borax-based mixtures, it's wise to prepare them in well-ventilated areas. Remember to wear protective gloves, and after finishing, seal the borax container tightly and store it out of reach of children and pets.