Ants Are Coming For Your 2026 Summer Garden And The Reason Couldn't Be Clearer

Ants are remarkable creatures, and watching them build and communicate with the rest of their colony can be fascinating. Whether they like it or not, many in the United States will have more opportunities than usual to watch these insects this summer. There are expected to be especially large ant populations in many parts of the country. While many of these ants are beneficial, in some areas of the Southeast, invasive and aggressive ants are also on the rise.

Regions as diverse as New York and South Dakota are all seeing far more ants, far earlier than usual this year, due to a combination of a mild winter and the previous year's wet summer. This creates perfect conditions for ants to breed and thrive. In the Southeastern United States, invasive Asian needle ants (Brachyponera chinensis) are also increasing in numbers. They also appear to be spreading, and there is evidence that they could be as far north as New York State. Unlike many ants, these pests can be aggressive and have painful stings. They are also beginning to outcompete native species.

As unsettling as an ant infestation may be, especially in a year where they're more prolific than ever, many ants aren't cause for concern. They can even help improve soil fertility and pollinate plants in some situations. Of course, these tiny creatures do have some potential downsides as well. Some ants can damage plants directly, and many others farm and protect aphids that feed on the leaves of ornamental plants and food crops. These can be major problems in the garden in a normal year, but considering the ant baby boom many regions have had recently, you may find your garden especially under siege by ants and their aphids this year.

If ants are damaging your plants or making a mess of your lawn with their mounds, then you may need to take steps to eliminate at least some of them. To get rid of ants in your garden, you have a few options. Diatomaceous earth is a popular organic choice. You can also opt to use boiling water on ant mounds. If you suspect the ants making a mess in your garden are native ants, you can also just disturb the mounds by raking them. This should convince the ants to relocate without killing most of the colony. Some fragrant herbs also have a reputation for repelling ants. Thyme and patchouli are especially prized for this purpose.