I have recently added a compost bin to my garden, and now I have a plague of ants marching around my garden to the compost bin, and then back to two places.

I have read that you actually only generally see 5% of the ants and not the whole number of the colony at anyone time. This means that I have a large number in my garden!!

Other than getting rid of my compost bin (which I really don't want to do), how can I deter them? I only have a small garden and while they don't bother me now, I worry they might invade my house (they are rapidly growing in number). A toxic pesticide is an option I would like to refrain from as I understand that ants are a vital part of the ecosystem and can often be friendly helpers. But if they insist of scaring my fiance out of the garden they'll have to go.

I have narrowed them down to pest ants, not carpenter ants. Any advice please?

In article ,
jacobsdad writes:
|
| I have recently added a compost bin to my garden, and now I have a
| plague of ants marching around my garden to the compost bin, and then
| back to two places.
|
| I have read that you actually only generally see 5% of the ants and not
| the whole number of the colony at anyone time. This means that I have a
| large number in my garden!!

Yes, you do. They are ubiquitous.

| Other than getting rid of my compost bin (which I really don't want to
| do), how can I deter them? I only have a small garden and while they
| don't bother me now, I worry they might invade my house (they are
| rapidly growing in number). A toxic pesticide is an option I would like
| to refrain from as I understand that ants are a vital part of the
| ecosystem and can often be friendly helpers. But if they insist of
| scaring my fiance out of the garden they'll have to go.

Yer whaa? When I said that they were ubiquitous, I meant just that.
They live in all soils, compost heap or no compost heap. And, no,
they won't invade your kitchen for the hell of it. If you do spill
food (e.g. sugar) and they start, you should poison the raiders and
leave the others alone.

Myriphobia is extremely rare, and all UK ants are harmless, though a
few have a painful bit (to which almost nobody is allergic). Are you
SURE she is scared of them?

| I have narrowed them down to pest ants, not carpenter ants. Any advice
| please?

There are no pest ants in the UK. All UK ants are neutral or beneficial
to humans generally, and gardeners in particular. Particular nests can
occasionally be a nuisance.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Erm, are you asking if I am making her fear up??!!!! I think I would know if she was scared or not.

Anyway thanks for the advice.