Louisiana Homeowners on Alert After Threat Returns to Yards

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - Acadiana finally got some much-needed rain, and more rain is expected in the next few days, which is a major relief for many.

Much of South Louisiana was experiencing drought-like conditions due to a lack of rainfall at the start of Spring, but after a few strong thunderstorms, the flowers are happy, and the grass is growing rapidly.

And while that may be a beautiful thing this time of year, there is a threat lurking in your yard after the recent rain showers, and I want to make sure you are aware of it.

Just a few days ago, my daughter and I learned of this "threat" the hard way, and I hope you can avoid gettting bit like we did.

With much-needed rain finally reaching our area, ants are back in yards, and you may or may not have noticed that there are more and more ant mounds showing up in your lawn. As I was doing yard work, I failed to notice an ant pile nearby, and yes, they got me.

So, if you or the kids will be out in the yard in the days or weeks ahead, keep an eye out for ants as they rise from the ground.

What Causes Ant Mounds in Yards

Ants "rise up" or form mounds in yards primarily due to warm weather triggering increased activity, excess moisture from rain/irrigation, or the discovery of food sources in your yard.

One way to help reduce mounds in your yard is to improve drainage and apply pesticides to your lawn to help reduce the ant population.

With the change in weather and more rain in early Spring, you should expect to see more ant mounds in your yard. Thus, if you have kids, you want to monitor your yard before letting your kids loose in it to play.

How to Rid Your Yard of Ants

If you want to eliminate ants in your yard, here's a great tutorial to watch. After all, who wants to dodge any hills all Spring or Summer long?