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With summer temperatures soaring across the country, "Flying Ant Day" is arriving earlier than usual this July. If you’ve stepped outside today, you’ve likely already seen the sudden, chaotic swarms of winged ants taking to the air.While these annual mating swarms are entirely harmless to humans, they can easily ruin a backyard afternoon or find their way into your home.But before you reach for expensive, harsh chemical sprays, take a look in your spice rack. A simple jar of ground cinnamon is actually a dual-action yard superhero, as tackles it both the ant invasion and keeps any soil fungus issues at bay.Here is why this kitchen staple works so well, and the best way to apply it.The ant shield: disrupting the scent trails
(Image credit: Shutterstock)Tabloid articles love to claim that cinnamon works because ants "inhale the powder and suffocate." In reality, the science is much more straightforward, and a lot less dramatic.Cinnamon doesn't impact an ant's respiratory system at all. Instead, it acts as a powerful topical irritant and an olfactory deterrent. It all comes down to a natural compound called cinnamaldehyde, which gives the spice its signature pungent aroma.Because ants rely almost entirely on highly sensitive scent receptors to navigate and follow pheromone trails, the overpowering smell of cinnamon effectively scrambles their tracking. It doesn't kill the colony, but it completely masks their pathways, forcing the swarm to look elsewhere.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.My strategy for applying it
