How to Stop Ants From Stealing Grass Seed

According to the University of California, ants not only damage lawns but they also care for other pests that hurt plants and grass. Because grass seed makes a tasty treat for ants, gardeners often see them stealing food or getting into grass seed bags. In addition, spreading grass seed that contains ants will spread them all over the yard. It's vital to remove the ants from the grass seed bags and store the seed in safer areas without the threat of pests.

White sheet

Gloves

Sealable container

Handheld vacuum

Caulking gun

Soap

Bucket

Sponge

Towel

Paper towels

Baits

Pour grass seed onto a white sheet and pick through the seed looking for ants. Remove any ants with a handheld vacuum. Place the grass seed in a sealable container.

Spread caulk from a caulking gun on any crevices near the grass seed to prevent ants from crawling in. Vacuum up any ant trails and burn or throw away the bag.

Wash the surrounding area around the grass seed with a mixture of 1 tsp. soap and 1 gallon of water. Dunk a sponge in the mixture and wash the area to remove the ants' scent. Rinse the area with fresh water and a towel. Dry off the surrounding area with paper towels.

Place reusable plastic baits around the grass seed area. Use a bait that has a combination of both sweet and protein-rich attractant. Different species of ants are attracted to different foods. The bait mixes the attractant with a poison that will be distributed to the ant colony.

Replace the bait with more poisoned attractant every few weeks. You will begin to see a decrease in your ant population after a few weeks, when the poison has been dispersed.

Space baits every 10 to 12 feet outside of the building's perimeter to protect your grass seed.

Avoid spraying insecticide if you keep your grass seed indoors and have pets or children.