Ants in garden - Best way to kill?

ripplyuk · 16 May 2016 at 11:47AM

I used Nippon gel in little trays last year, but now they're back again. I've heard that borax or boric acid is good mixed with honey or sugar. Some people say Terro ant killer is good. I've also noticed another gel type bait station on Amazon that uses imidicloprid.

I'd appreciate any advice or tips about how to get rid of them. Also, there's a big old tree stump in the garden. Could this be what's attracting them?

sheramber · 16 May 2016 at 3:08PM

The ants normally travel in lines from the nest to the food and back.

If you watch them you should be able to follow the trail to the nest. If you can, uncover the nest but if not treat the area around the entrance. I used Nipon powder which worked well.

Susan_Beaumont · 16 May 2016 at 3:22PM

Or even better, leave them alone, they,ve been on this planet longer than you have, and are likely to be here long after we human pests have gone

ariba10 · 16 May 2016 at 3:34PM

A sure way to kill them is with two bricks.

Put the ant on one and hit it with the other.

Davesnave · 16 May 2016 at 3:42PM

I don't bother about ants outdoors.

If they invade my house in numbers, I use ant powder.

Once, when I had no ant powder, I mixed up warm water, whisky and sugar, which they loved. Soon the container was covered in them. I left them to it and went to bed.

After that, no ants.:)

ripplyuk · 16 May 2016 at 4:02PM

I find a few in the house but the garden is completely overrun with them. I can't go out at all without getting my legs covered in them. They must bite as I get big red hives. I think I'll try a few more products myself but if that fails, I guess I'll have to get a pest controller in. I'd really like to be able to enjoy the garden at this time of year. Also, I've a pet rabbit and I worry about him getting bitten or annoyed by them.

Living_proof · 18 May 2016 at 5:19PM

I read that ants spread disease on plants and I have a whole tribe of them in my greenhouse. I have tried both the powder and gel without success - is there no natural predator for ants? My daughter down south was also inundated with them so perhaps it's because the winter was so mild.

sheramber · 18 May 2016 at 6:25PM

We removed a rockery from our garden and there was an ant city under the stones. Lots of nests with egg chambers linked to one another.

malebolge · 19 May 2016 at 8:47PM

I just leave them, unless i see them in the house. Here's the RHS guide to them - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=503 - they call them a nuisance rather than a pest. You're not referring to red ants re: the biting, are you? They ordinary black ants don't sting. Ants are beneficial in a number of ways but of course they can spread disease so for places I want them (I encourage them in my wildlife garden) I put sugar syrup on discs to attract them, and if they appear where I don;t want them, I use apple cider vinegar

ripplyuk · 19 May 2016 at 9:05PM

Thanks for the link. Yes, they definitely either bite or sting! Yesterday, I was potting up some containers in the garden and felt them on my legs. I'd only been out for about ten minutes. When I looked down, they were loads of them all over me, right up to my knees. Now I've got 14 big red itchy welts on me.

They ate my friend alive when he was in the garden too. He was jumping around all over the place trying to get them off. I know nothing about ants so I'm not sure what species they are, though I'm still reading up trying to identify them.

I'm really beyond caring if people think I'm being mean to kill them. I've ordered 3 different types of ant killer products. Hopefully at least one will have some effect.

Grumpyoldmoo · 19 May 2016 at 9:07PM

I have a problem with ants in my garden.....they are attacking the fence posts

Ants in garden - Best way to kill?

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