Inside you’ll find how to treat ant bites for your little ones, and even how to get rid of ant beds naturally.

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If you have a yard that gets a lot of ant beds and have little ones running around who are still very curious about ant beds, this post is for you.

Our yard is big and full of ant beds and so far, everyone has had their turn getting eaten up.

When summer’s here, it’s also hard to get kids to wear shoes.

Can I get an amen? 

Also, have you ever thought some kids get ant bit more than others?

There may be something to that. My daughter gets tons of mosquito bites whereas my other kids don’t. One of my sons gets tons of ant bites, whereas the others don’t.

Time magazine puts it like this….

“Some people produce more of certain chemicals in their skin,” he explains. “And a few of those chemicals, like lactic acid, attract mosquitoes.” There’s also evidence that one blood type (O) attracts mosquitoes more than others (A or B).”

How to naturally treat ant bites

1. Essential oils

I’ve been using Lavender (diluted with a vegetable oil) on the kids’ bites and, honestly, it works so well I think you should wait to put it on. If you put it on too soon they won’t feel discomfort and the whole “cause and effect” lesson is less effective.

I am joking. 

All joking aside, lavender is extremely effective for itchiness and bites of most types. If you dilute it with some type of oil (coconut, grapeseed, cold pressed anything, etc.) and use a roller ball you can just roll it right over the bites.

➡️ You’ll have to re-apply regularly, but it cuts the sting significantly, and you likely won’t need any other solution. 

2. Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar or even distilled white vinegar will help cut the sting and is perfectly safe for kids. 

As a child, after a long day in the sun at the beach or pool, I’d often be put into a vinegar bath to help with any stinging from the sun exposure. The acidity of the vinegar can help neutralize any of the ant venom.

3. Aloe Vera

Rub the plant directly on the bites for relief. Keeping an aloe vera plant in your home is a great idea, is surprisingly affordable, and also looks good in the kitchen!

You can tear off one piece of the aloe plant and rub it directly onto the location of the ant bites.

4. Baking soda and water paste

Making a paste of baking soda and water will help cut the sting and itching.

A baking soda paste is used in many topical applications for itching. Because baking soda cuts acid and neutralizes acid and toxins it can be used for ant bites as well as mosquitoes.

5. To pop or not to pop? 

I always pop my ant bites, I can’t help it.

Plus, I guess I thought you were supposed to. My kids, however?

They do not want the to be popped.

And my husband is firmly in the “don’t pop ant bites” camp so that’s where we land most of the time. In fact, it’s actually unnecessary to pop the ant bites, and doing so can cause pus to come out, scabs, and more potential for scarring.

Since bites seem to go away on their own, treat the itching and leave them. If it was fire ants or something that looks like it needs to be drained, popping may be okay but keep clean to prevent infection afterwards.

6. Socks.

While it’s a good idea to let ant bites breathe, I suggest putting socks on your kids at bedtime so they don’t lay there and scratch before bed. I’d treat the itch, put on socks, and the pray for the best!

4 Ways to Get Rid of Ant Beds

While you can’t eradicate ant beds completely, it’s a good idea to treat the ones that are near major play hubs for your children. Ant beds near the pool, sand pile, fishing spots, etc. are not good locations for ant beds if you have babies who want to crawl or toddlers who are toddling.

1. Gasoline

Pour gasoline on the ant bed and it will kill them.

If you have excess gasoline for your mowers or cars or in canisters, pouring some will work quickly. It’s expensive, though, and not great if you have curious kids or lots of pets roaming.

Gas is obviously not  a “green” option, but it is something you’ll find around your home.

2. Baby Powder

Pour a lot of this on the ant bed and, as far as I can tell, this works very well.

I’m sure you have baby powder lying around anyway, and this has the added bonus of signaling to the kids that they shouldn’t go near it.

It becomes a snowy white mound and the kids won’t accidentally walk in it!

3. Urine.

Get your husband or son to pee on the ant bed.

I am not kidding.

This is one of my boys’ favorite past times. If you live near a road, however, I’d chose another option. We had a neighbor drive by once and inform us she saw “one of the boys” peeing right there. For all to see.

Obviously I need more training outdoor arena.

Or pee in a cup and pour it on the ant bed. This works too, but I’m not convinced it works as well as the powder or gasoline.

It is, however, completely natural. :)

4. Moving ants from one bed to another.

Ants from different hills, particularly if they are different species, will fight to the death. If you take ants from one hill and put them on another, that’ll eradicate the ants.

This is a tricky option since you have to get ants and the hills into something that won’t turn around and attack you, but it could be super fun for a science experiment for the kids!

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