Ants. Those six-legged creatures that work together in their colonies, those that make those amazing routes and follow them thoroughly, and those that can teach us a thing or two on many human life aspects. They are quite interesting animals to investigate.
However, when you have an invasion of them at home, it is unbearable. They would run almost everywhere they can find food, and this can result in very annoying for basically everyone. Being bitten by many of them is also a thing to hate, especially when happens in your own house.
Unbeknownst to most people, you can fight back at them with some special plants that they do not like, making them avoid the area completely. Let’s find out some of those plants that repel ants and see what can you do with them to just deter ants forever entering your home again in the future.
Can tansy repel ants?
When it comes to plants that repel ants, tansy is one name that comes to mind very quickly. Tansy is one little toxic plant that is banned in some countries in Europe, but that is not the reason why tansy can be effective on ants.
Tansy works just like those chalks with some component that just block ants from crossing the lines you draw. However, you would need to make them reach flowering to use those yellow ones as a repellent for ants and other bugs that may live at your home.
There is a catch about this plant though. The thing is, tansy can repel ants but it is not a very popular plant to do so, let alone actually find it in other countries outside Europe and Asia (so, not much luck for Americans)
The other catch is the size. If you want to get this plant to repel ants from your house, you would need to consider its size. You may think that, like on many of the photos all over the internet, this flowering plant is relatively small for indoor keeping, but you may be a bit surprised that it is not. It is a bit bigger than you may think and thus you would need to provide it with some space.
Can lavender repel ants?
Now, from one of the popular plants that repel ants to one of the recommended, let’s find out if can lavender repels ants? The answer is a resounding yes, which may be a bit surprising given this plant’s fresh aroma.
Lavender is a pretty aromatic plant that could grow way big if it is in the right conditions like access to sunlight, air currents, and some water for hydration. The smell of this plant is well-known for centuries and so, people have been keeping them in their houses for quite a long time.
What people do not know is that the smell can deter ants from coming and making a mess of their homes. While for us is a pretty good scent, for ants it is very strong and thus they would run and avoid this plant whenever is possible.
Like most of the plants in this list, lavender does not kill ants and the properties it has deterring ants can work in some other bugs like scorpions, moths, mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and many others. The surprising thing is that scent is the thing that makes all of this possible, making your home a bit cleaner and free of these insects.
Can mint deter ants?
Speaking of plants that have a nice aroma for us but not so good for ants, let’s follow lavender with a fresh aromatic plant: The mint. Can mint deter ants?
Mint is one of the most recognizable scents and flavors in the world. It is one refreshing plant which nice flavor we encounter in many candies, beverages, and tooth care products. The fast way to get rid of a bad smell in the mouth is with a mint-flavored candy or just brushing the teeth.
All these refreshing and good smelling capabilities of the mint can also work to deter ants from entering a house. Mint is another plant that repels ants due to its strong aroma that is not very nice to them. It is way strong for their delicate smell sense and thus it is a very effective plant to get rid of ants, without killing them.
List Of Uses For Mint
The list of uses that mint can have extends way more than you think. It is an analgesic plant that can help with respiratory problems, helps with the aforementioned mouth hygiene, and can also be used in many dishes, giving them that distinct touch.
Many plants work the same way as mint and lavender due to their strong scents that can mess with the very advanced senses of ants and many other creatures. You can even find that some grass-like lemongrass can do the same thing to them, creating a barrier between you and the ants.
And if that final thought sounded like a mini infomercial, well, kind of is. There are many products in the market that contain mint and many other examples of plants that get rid of bugs that work in almost the exact way. Thing is, you may be better off with a plant rather than a chemical treated product.
Conclusion
In our search of plants that repel ants, we may find many plants we consider too nice and too good-smelling to do something to make ants leave your house or, at very least, avoid being around things you do not want them to be.
Plants with a nice aromatic scent like mint and lavender can do wonders deterring ants from being around things like sugar and other food while making your home smell very nice. They would not hurt ants in any way but make them avoid the area because of their very sensitive smell sense. The scent is way too much for it to handle.
And some other plants like tansy can also work in the same way, even when you can’t smell the flowers just like ants do. Just remember that the part that ants hate from this plant is the flowers so, make them grow!
