Boiling water is effective at killing ants when it is poured directly onto them. It can also sometimes be used to kill ant mounds, but this method is less reliable. The soil will soak up and cool a lot of the hot water poured into an ant mound, which may render it ineffective before it reaches the queen and the eggs. So, boiling water will wipe out small ant mounds, but it will usually not kill large colonies. The tough part is, it’s impossible to tell how large an ant mound is from the surface. A seemingly small hole could be one of the entrances to a huge ant colony.
What Kills Ants Permanently?
Boiling water is one method of killing ants, but it’s not the only one. It’s also not the most effective method. If you’re looking for the best methods to get rid of ant colonies in your yard, they are:
- Pesticides designed to kill ants.
- Diatomaceous earth spread on the ground near the ant nest.
- Mixtures of vinegar and water.
- Flattening or otherwise destroying ant mounds.
Pesticides are the strongest ant killer you can use, but they can be harmful to your grass. Some well-placed ant baits will wipe out the entire colony. This is because worker ants will collect the poison, thinking it’s food, and feed it to their queen. Once the queen is killed the entire colony will die off.
How Hot Does Water Have to Be to Kill an Ant?
Water must be brought to a full boil before it is hot enough to kill ants. Water that is merely warm is not likely to cause ants any harm at all. If you want to use water as an ant killer, heat it in a tea kettle. Once the kettle begins to whistle, the water inside is hot enough to kill ants.
Will Boiling Water Kill Ant Mounds?
Boiling water can sometimes kill ant mounds. If the ant mound is small and enough water is poured into it, the boiling water will reach the queen and kill her. However, it’s impossible to tell from the surface if the boiling water has reached the queen. So, only time will tell if the colony is dead or if the ant nest will recover. As long as the queen survives, the ant colony will live on. If the queen is killed, the colony will die.
- Boiling water is hit-or-miss as an ant killer.
- Small ant mounds can be killed by boiling water.
- Large colonies with several entrances are not likely to be killed by pouring boiling water into an entrance.
Some ant species create sprawling underground tunnels with several entrances. What you see as multiple ant mounds may in fact be different branches of the same underground network. If so, the colony is usually so large the water will be absorbed by the soil before it reaches the queen and kills her.
Will Boiling Water Kill Ant Eggs?
If boiling water reaches ant eggs, it will kill them. However, any boiling water you pour into an ant mound will quickly be absorbed by the soil. Plus, the water will be cooled by the surrounding soil. If the ant colony’s tunnels are small and shallow, the boiling water you pour into the hole may reach the eggs and kill them. If it’s a large ant colony, it’s likely the eggs will escape unharmed.
Does Cold Water Kill Ants?
Cold water will not kill ants. Ants are extremely hardy insects that are capable of surviving in extreme temperatures. Not only are ants found on every continent except Antarctica, but they’re also able to survive in frigid regions. There is even a species of ant that is native to Iceland. Simply put, unless your water is boiling hot, it won’t kill any ants.
Does Hot Water Work for Killing Ants?
Hot water works for killing ants, but it’s important to keep these facts in mind:
- Hot water poured on wants aboveground will kill them instantly.
- If you pour boiling water into an ant mound it has a chance of killing the whole colony.
- Small ant colonies can be flooded with hot water, killing the queen, workers, and eggs.
- If you pour boiling water into a large ant colony, the water may cool or be absorbed by soil before it kills the queen.
- Pesticide and ant baits are more reliable for killing ant colonies.
While boiling water is a natural method for killing ants, it’s not 100% effective. It’s worth trying to kill the ant colonies in your backyard with boiling water. However, if it fails, try stronger methods.