How To Keep Ants Off Your Picnic Table

  • December 22, 2009
  • 677 Views
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Picnics are a wonderful way to share yummy food in the great outdoors. Ants think so too! You can keep pesky ants away with just a few simple actions.

You Will Need

  • An outdoor insect fogger
  • Soap and water
  • A sponge
  • Garbage cans
  • Detergent or ammonia
  • An outdoor ant and flying insect repellant
  • Food containers with lids
How To Keep Ants Off Your Picnic Table: Use outdoor insect fogger

Step 1: Use outdoor insect fogger

Set off an outdoor insect fogger in the picnic area. The fogger spreads a preventative into the air and onto the surrounding trees, shrubs, and plants.

Carefully read and follow the instructions on the fogger’s label. A fogger should only be used a few times a year in seasons of high use.

How To Keep Ants Off Your Picnic Table: Keep area clean

Step 2: Keep area clean

Keep the area clean by wiping the table with a soapy sponge and by keeping the area clear of food debris and litter.

How To Keep Ants Off Your Picnic Table: Empty and wash garbage cans

Step 3: Empty and wash garbage cans

Empty garbage cans often and occasionally wash them with detergent or ammonia to deter ants and insects.

Locate your garbage cans at least 50 feet from your picnic table to reduce the chance of an ant attack.

How To Keep Ants Off Your Picnic Table: Spray around picnic table

Step 4: Spray around picnic table

Spray the area around the picnic table with an ant and flying insect repellent at least 15 minutes before the planned activity.

How To Keep Ants Off Your Picnic Table: Store food in closed containers

Step 5: Store food in closed containers

Store all picnic foods in containers with lids. Keep the food covered when it’s not being served. This discourages food smells from attracting pests.

How To Keep Ants Off Your Picnic Table: Clean up spills immediately

Step 6: Clean up spills immediately

Clean up food spills as soon as possible – on the table and on the ground.

How To Keep Ants Off Your Picnic Table: Clean area thoroughly after picnic

Step 7: Clean area thoroughly after picnic

Clean the area thoroughly after your picnic. Wash and rinse the table and dispose of trash appropriately.

Did you know? If not sufficiently controlled, Argentine ants threaten to wipe out native species in California.

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Comments (1)

solinator

haha! This is awesome! It works :)

about 1 year ago by solinator

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