neilson wrote:


Hi people, hope someone can offer some advise on how to get rid of ants
in composts.

I've heard that a lot of the ant pesticides fail because the ants know
that the chemicals in the pesticides are harmful and do not transfer to
the queen, which is required in order to destroy the colony.
Apparently a method of overcoming this is to use 'Borax Crystals' found
in cleaning soap powders, mix with sugar and water to form a solution
and apply to the infected area.
This will then be transferred to the queen (assume because of the sugar
content) by the other ants and she will die (the chemical mustn’t act
instantly, otherwise the other ants wouldn't be able to transfer the
Borax to the queen before they died).
When the queen is dead all the other ants apparently come rushing out,
you can apply a general ant pesticide to destroy them.

Can anyone comment on the above if this is a good and permanent
method?

i). Does it actually work?
ii). How long will Borax reside in the compost, and will this have any
affects on plants where it will be eventually used?
iii). Any other alternative recommended pesticides that will destroy
the colony?
iv). What, if any, are the harmful affects/problems that ants cause, to
compost or plants (i'm only aware of ant mounds on lawns).
v). Organic methods, e.g. increasing heat, aeration, cooling down,
boiling water, etc?
vi). Will the above method or any other chemical pesticides destroy any
beneficial organisms within the compost and possibly plants when
transferred


Much appreciated
Neilson


whilst ants in themselves wont harm the system there is a small problem you
may suffer by having them in the garden, that is they farm aphids and are
well known of transporting them to new shoot areas so the aphids can feed.
Ants milk aphids for sweet plant sap. To stop them in the compost bin try
keeping it moist or buy a rotating bin and turn it often which will disturb
them enough to relocate. Personally i like the little blighters as they
help destroy more pests than they relocate.