Ants serve many vital functions in the environment. They pollinate plants, redistribute seeds, aerate the soil, and clear away decaying debris, dead insects, and small mammals. But this isn't much of a comfort when you find them all through your cereal, taking the sugary treats back to their nest, or harvesting honeydew from the aphids they're farming on your mugwort.
Finding ways to keep ants out of the house or garden is sometimes a necessity, and one odd repellent proposed by scientists and natural-living enthusiasts alike is cucumber. The idea here is that ants hate the supposed bitter taste, fungus-killing properties, or unattractive smell of cucumber. Laying slices or peelings (skin only) from the vegetable near ant trail entrances deters ants by compelling them to turn around and return from whence they came.
So, does it work? As with most natural remedies, the honest answer is ... complicated. Some research suggests certain compounds in cucumbers, like trans-2-nonenal and cucurbitacin, are ant enemies; conversely, experts and experiments indicate the idea has more myth than merit.
Read more at housedigest.com