Ants

[charlie]

I've just discovered that we have ants invading our allotment, and especially seem to be enjoying the broad beans!
Is there anything we can do to get rid of them, or any companion planting that may help?

thanks

[revdode]

I'm tried all the usual solution offered in nice organics circles including mint and home made bait traps none of which made much of an impact.
So far frequently disturbing nests seems to have set them back. Two gallons of boiling water dumped into the nests also seems to slow them down a bit.

This year I am trying diatomaceous earth as a barrier and ant nematodes. I'll let you all know how I get on,

[Cheezy]

If you search the boards this comes up regular as clockwork.(sticky subject anyone?.)

Firstly the ants are not harming the plants directly. They may be harvesting aphids for their honey dew.THe aphids ARE harming the plants and the ants will look after them against other preditors.

I don't do anything until the aphids get out of hand. Spraying water, soap solutions etc works OK.But the ants return.

I have found (and I think Andy tried this as well.) from a recommendation from GQT that if you replace the attraction of the honey dew with something better ...like jam, the ants will go for the easy fix and either leave the aphids or as seems the case actively get rid of them.

Give it a go see if it works and let us know the results.

It is also said that if you wipe out an ant nest, you open up that teratory to the next nearest collany, which just doubles in size and can get more aggressive. Don't know what effect this has. The best way is to work with /around them.

[revdode]

In principle I'm with Cheezy, the only reason I'm trying to remove the little b(l)ighters is they have made it into my house. They also seem to disturb the roots on some plants, again probably my fault for choosing locations for beds exactly where ants want to nest.

[flower]

the ants on our allotment bite us and our kids when we accidently trash a nest.
there is at least one nest in every single bed and most of the ants are quite large and reddish brown.

I am very interested in the jam idea because my broadbeans are taking a bit of a pasting, do you just bung a glob of it on a tile and leave it on ground near the nest?
(I've a feeling the local foxes will all need to see a dentist soon if I do though! )

[charlie]

Hi, Thanks for the replies.
I'll have a thorough look at my beans when i go down to the allotment today,
and investigate the ants. Probably take some jam with me as well.

Will let you know how it goes.

[Cheezy]

the ants on our allotment bite us and our kids when we accidently trash a nest.
there is at least one nest in every single bed and most of the ants are quite large and reddish brown.

I am very interested in the jam idea because my broadbeans are taking a bit of a pasting, do you just bung a glob of it on a tile and leave it on ground near the nest?
(I've a feeling the local foxes will all need to see a dentist soon if I do though! )

You place the jam at the base of the broadbeans near the route they take.

That way they come back to the beans, and "potentially" sort out the aphids.

Works for houses as well. Ants send out scouts to find stuff. If you inadvertly leave something intresting for the scout to find, they go back to the nest and relay the message, then all their mates turn up.

This is why just removing the item that attracted them takes a while for it to get back to the nest, and more keep turning up. If you remove the item, find where they have been getting in to the house, then near the enterence place jam, they will relay that a good source of food is near by and they will be redirected. Gives you time to clean up, block holes, buy bate etc.

[maggie144]

I read that semolina is the best thing for getting rid of ants, aparently if you sprinkle it around the nest, the workers take it back to the nest for the queen, and once digested the queen will explode and no more ants.

have not tried it but i read it in a organic gardening magazine
you'll have to let us know if it works

maggie