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Like all insects, ants are a vital part of the ecosystem. Unfortunately, sometimes they can infest your yard and your home, and in that situation, you will probably want to get rid of them with the best outdoor ant killer you can get hold of. A good ant killer can make a huge difference in protecting your home and yard from an infestation of ants, eliminating them before they can cause significant problems if you get in there fast enough. There are many different ways to get rid of ants outside, though, and choosing the right way for your particular problem can be a complicated process if you are not fully prepared.
That is where we come in. We have extensively researched outdoor ant killer products in order to bring you a list of the best, and in our best outdoor ant killer review below you will find a list of our top 10 ant killer products. You will also find a buyers guide, breaking down all of the most important things you should bear in mind when you are looking to buy an ant killer for outdoor use. So which ant killer products are our favorites? Read on below to find out!
Ant killers that kill ants directly on contact may temporarily remove ants from where you don’t want them, but it won’t solve the long-term issue. In order to get rid of the ants for good, you need to kill the whole colony, including the queen and grubs.
View the Best Outdoor Ant Killer, Below.
AMDRO Ant Block Outdoor Ant Killer
Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer
TERRO T1812 Outdoor Liquid Ant Killer Bait Stakes
Ortho Orthene Fire Ant Killer
Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray
Terro Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer
Ortho Bug B Gon Insect Killer
TERRO T1806 Outdoor Liquid Ant Baits
Bayer 700288S Advanced Complete Insect Killer
Bayer Advanced Complete Ant Killer
1. AMDRO Ant Block Outdoor Ant Killer
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Kills the queen and the entire colony
Creates a barrier around your home for maximum protection
Effective on 25 species of ants
Ant Killer Barrier Granules
Treats up to 1080 Linear Feet
2. Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer
The Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer is a powerful and effective outdoor ant killer product that can easily protect your entire home from a wide range of different common household insects. This large 1.1-gallon bottle contains enough ant killer spray for 5,000 square feet, and promises long-lasting and effective protection for your home. This bottle comes with an ergonomically designed spray wand included, allowing you to easily spread the ant killer around your preferred area without having to bend over and pump with high levels of effort.
Easy to use and effective against a wide range of different common insects, the Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer can quickly and effectively protect your home from many different species of insect that might cause problems.
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Up to 12-month protection
Ergonomic spray wand included
Kills a wide range of common household bugs
Liquid ant Killer Spray
Treats up to 5,000 Square Feet
3. TERRO T1812 Outdoor Liquid Ant Killer Bait Stakes
The TERRO T1812 Outdoor Liquid Ant Killer Bait Stakes are designed to attract and poison ants, effectively eliminating them without requiring you to spread toxic products around your home and yard. These stakes are ready to use and require no filling or preparation, and can just be set up straight out of the packet. As an added bonus, the bait stakes are designed with a see-through window to make it easy for you to monitor how much bait remains in each stake. The poison used kills slowly enough to give the ants time to transport the bait to the queen, killing the entire colony rather than just the workers.
Effective and easy to use, the TERRO T1812 Outdoor Liquid Ant Killer Bait Stakes allow simple, safe elimination of entire ant colonies without requiring any unpleasant sprays or granules, minimizing the risk of cross-contamination.
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Effective on a range of different ant species
Be aware that when you apply broad-spectrum insecticides that kill more than just ants, you may also harm beneficial insects such as butterflies and bees. So, do your best to choose a product that targets the pests you are trying to kill, and only apply it near those insects.
4. Ortho Orthene Fire Ant Killer
The Fire Ant Killer from Ortho Orthene is a powerful and effective ant killer product for outdoor use, specially formulated to deal with one of the most stubborn and feared species of ants. Fire ants can be hard to get rid of and are highly resistant to many other methods of extermination, but the Ortho Orthene Fire Ant Killer is formulated to eliminate them effectively.
This easy to use formulation kills the queen as well as the workers, destroying a colony of fire ants from the heart rather than just weakening it. A single bottle of Ortho Orthene Fire Ant Killer contains enough product to treat up to 162 mounds, eliminating even the largest and most persistent infestation quickly and efficiently.
Fire ants can be hard to get rid of, so Ortho Orthene Fire Ant Killer comes as a welcome surprise. Its powerful formulation makes it easy to get rid of these stubborn and problematic ants, something which few products can claim to achieve!
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Specially formulated for fire ants
No watering is required
Targeted Fire ant Killer
Treats up to 162 Mounds
5. Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray
If you are looking for an outdoor ant killer that works on more than just ants, then the Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray is the one you need. This comprehensive bug-killing spray works on ants, fleas, mosquitos, and a wide range of other annoying insects. This bottle can be easily attached to your garden hose for effective spraying and automatic dilution, making the process of spreading it around your garden as easy as possible. This is a fast-acting and effective outdoor ant killer that promises protection for up to 4 weeks, even if it gets rained on.
The Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray is effective against a wide range of different insects, including ants and mosquitos. This is a comprehensive and easy to use solution to any insect problem you may have.
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Lasts up to 4 weeks
Kills a wide range of insects
Liquid ant Killer Spray
Treats up to 5,000 Square Feet
6. Terro Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer
The Terro Carpenter Ant and Termite Killer is an effective and fast-acting ant killer spray that is ideal for use both outdoors and indoors. This ant killer can be sprayed easily into small and inconvenient crevices where pests live and can be used to effectively kill carpenter ants, termites, wood wasps, carpenter bees and many other insects. It kills on contact and remains potent for up to a full month after application. The formula used is odor-free and non-staining and provides effective and long-lasting protection without leaving any distracting traces, even when used indoors in small spaces.
A compact and easy to use spray can, the Terro Carpenter Ant and Termite Killer is one of the most portable and straightforward options for killing ants, termites, wood wasps, and many other insects.
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Lasts for up to a month
Odorless and non-staining formula
Kills a wide range of insects
Liquid ant Killer Spray
7. Ortho Bug B Gon Insect Killer
The Ortho Bug B Gon Insect Killer is a powerful and versatile insect killer that promises effective protection against 235 different species of insect, including ants, ticks, Japanese beetles, mosquitos, fleas, and spiders. The design of the bottle features a hose-end sprayer, allowing it to be easily fixed to a garden hose for easy application and automatic dilution, making the process of spraying it around your yard far faster and easier. Overall, this is one of the most powerful and versatile ant killer options for dealing with a wide range of different species of insect.
Offering comprehensive protection against a wide range of different household insects, the Ortho Bug B Gon Insect Killer is one of the most efficient and powerful methods for dealing with varying infestations of insect around your home or yard.
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Effective against 235 different species of insect
6-month protection against spiders
Hose end sprayer bottle design
Liquid ant Killer Spray
Treats up to 5,300 Square Feet
8. TERRO T1806 Outdoor Liquid Ant Baits
Rather than an insecticide that you apply to ant mounds directly, the TERRO T1806 Outdoor Liquid Ant Baits function more like a traditional mouse trap, attracting ants to bait and killing them when they reach it. This makes it less effective for disposing of queens, but they are efficient and easy to use. The significant advantage here is that these ant killer bait stations can be set up indoors as well as outdoors, making it easy to deal with ant infestations that have made it into your home, even in inconvenient places like the basement.
The TERRO T1806 Outdoor Liquid Ant Baits are more versatile than most other ant killer products, as they can be used effectively both outdoors and indoors with no issues.
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Attracts and kills all common household ants
Ideal for large ant infestations
Usable indoors and outdoors
Effective against fire ants
9. Bayer 700288S Advanced Complete Insect Killer
Powerful and versatile, the Bayer Advanced Complete Ant Killer is an effective outdoor ant killer that works to kill many different species of insect that might cause problems around your home and yard. These include ticks, cockroaches, spiders, wasps, ants and all sorts of grubs and larvae. This ant killer penetrates the ground effectively, providing 3-month protection against below the soil insects as well as the insects that infest areas above the surface. Please be aware that this is a very powerful and toxic outdoor ant killer that can be dangerous to pets and children, and therefore should not be used anywhere where pets or children might find the granules.
Effective in only 24 hours, the Bayer 700288S Advanced Complete Insect Killer is a powerful and comprehensive outdoor ant killer that can effectively deal with a broad range of problematic insect species, including below soil larvae.
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Protects a wide area
Lasts for up to 3 months
Effective against a wide range of insects
Treats below soil insects
Treats up to 10,000 Square Feet
10. Bayer Advanced Complete Ant Killer
The Bayer Advanced Complete Ant Killer is a versatile and powerful outdoor ant killer that works effectively against a wide range of different insects, including ants, spiders, ticks, wasps, and cockroaches. It is worth noting that this ant killer is extremely toxic, and therefore should not be used anywhere where children and pets might encounter the granules! The two-way action of the Bayer Advanced Complete Ant Killer effectively penetrates the ground, treating the area and killing even below soil insects for a more comprehensive insect-killing effect.
Effectively dealing with a wide range of different species of insects, including below soil grubs, the Bayer Advanced Complete Ant Killer is an unusually comprehensive and powerful outdoor ant killer.
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Effective against a wide range of insects
Treats below soil insects
Lasts for up to 3 months
Protects a wide area
Treats up to 1,500 Square Feet
Try More Than One
If you are using a bait that ants need to pick up and take back to their colony, monitor whether or not the ants are eating the bait. Different ants like different tastes, so you may need to try a few baits before you find one they like.
Outdoor Ant Killers Buyer’s Guide
Why do Ants Come Into the Yard?
There are many reasons that ants invade yards and homes. In general, yards are an ideal location for ants to live in, as they are enclosed and much safer than most outdoor spaces. They are also near to a reliable source of food, but unfortunately, that food source is your house. Yards provide food, shelter, and water in a relatively small space, and are generally welcoming to ants.
Discouraging ants from entering your yard is difficult, as yards are so naturally appealing to ants. Keeping the yard clean and ensuring that you do not leave food lying around anywhere is pretty much all you can do, but even that won’t make your yard actively hostile to ants.
Types of Outdoor Ant Killer Products
There are many different ways to kill ants, ranging from liquids that you pour onto ant mounds and liquid barriers to granules and baits. All of these have different advantages and disadvantages, and working through them one at a time can help you to properly understand which option is best suited for your particular ant problem.
Contact killers are an effective way to keep ants out of your house. Spray the liquid or scatter the granules around your home to form a barrier that will kill any ants that attempt to enter. This option can be effective but requires a good knowledge of which type of ant is causing your problems, as different ant killers are more effective against different species of ants, and products that work well on some species may well be ineffective on others.
Liquid baits are one of the most powerful forms of ant killer, combining a sweet bait solution with a slow-acting poison such as borax. The sugar attracts ants, while the borax kills them slowly. This means that the ants live long enough to bring the bait back to the colony before dying, contaminating the entire colony and killing the queen and grubs as well as the workers.
There are thousands of different species of ants in the USA alone, but two of the most common and most seriously problematic ones that you are likely to encounter are fire ants and carpenter ants. These can both cause serious problems if you don’t deal with infestations quickly as soon as you discover them.
Fire ants are famously problematic pests, living in enormous colonies of painfully stinging insects. They can be extremely dangerous to children and pets and can cause allergic reactions in some people that may even be fatal in certain extreme cases. These ants build large mounds, often up to a foot high, and can be identified by their small size and red coloration.
Fire ants will often chew through outdoor wiring, causing problems for your home electrical systems, and will easily make their way indoors if left to their own devices. If they make it indoors, then the risk of painful stings and injury will become even greater. Thanks to their stings, care must be taken when dealing with fire ant infestations. Their nests are deep below the visible mounds, so getting rid of them can be difficult, and requires dealing with the queen, who lives deep below the ground.
Carpenter ants are a common species of outdoor ant that likes to nest in and around wooden objects. They prefer damp areas, and you are most likely to find them near rotten trees or old stumps. If you store wood near your house, there is a significant chance that you will find carpenter ants attracted to it. These ants can be identified by the wood shavings and sawdust near their nests, as well as their large size and dark color.
Carpenter ants are a major problem for wooden houses and decks, as they can quickly start to burrow through the foundations of your home, causing significant structural damage and potentially leading to serious issues further down the line. That means that it is important to act quickly, as repairing the damage they cause can be expensive and time-consuming, and purchasing a good ant killer is much easier, as long as you have managed to detect the infestation early on.
There are a couple of significant features that you are going to want to keep an eye out for when you are looking to buy outdoor ant killers, as many types of ant killing product can be dangerous if used improperly. If you have pets or children, then you will want to make sure you buy a pet or child-safe ant killer, as pets and children can easily eat stray granules or bait blocks, which can be very dangerous. You are also going to want to keep an eye out for something that won’t be washed away when it rains, as this can cause contamination of unwanted areas, particularly if your yard is on a slope!
In general, ant traps are much safer than loose granules, sprays, and gels for ant killing, as they are self-contained and the poison is usually kept inside a plastic container of some sort. That prevents pets and children from getting into the poison, while sprays, granules or gels can easily get into the mouths of children and pets, even if you are careful with them.
Where to Put ant Bait Traps
Ant bait traps are most effective when located in places where ant activity is often seen. That means ant trails or around ant nests. Placing your traps near where you’ve seen a high level of ant activity increases the chances of the ants finding the bait, and reduces the risk of attracting the ants to an area they have not yet discovered, spreading the infestation further in the process.
It is also important to keep ant killers out of the reach of children and pets, as well as away from vegetable gardens and anything else intended for human consumption. No matter how careful you are, there is always a risk of cross-contamination if you use ant poisons near to food items.
If you have pets or children, then you will need to be more careful about which types of ant killer you use, as many of these can be highly toxic if ingested.
Different species of ants can cause different problems and will need to be treated differently. Not all ants are the same, so not all ant killers work in the same way!
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