Ants in Compost - Friend or Foe?

[Bezzie]

I was having a discussion with my neighbour about compost, and she asked if I knew what to do about ants in the compost bin. Frankly, I hadn't thought about it.

I figured that they would be like the woodlice and everything else in there, working to break down the stuff, however, she pointed out that they would potentially set up a nest, lay eggs and over-run. I hadn't thought about that.

Since both our properties already have a seasonal overflow of ants to contend with, what is the score about ants in the compost please? Any views or experience welcome .........

[Sue]

I need the answer to this one - my bin is crawling with them!
Guess its a price we pay as I can't see how you can get rid without chemicals
Definitely won't use those!

[the.fee.fairy]

i don't see why there would be a problem.

If you dig up an ants nest, they break the soil down to a fine almost sandy consistency, so if they're doing that in the compost, then you're having the sieving done for you. I don't think they'll cause any damage to it at all. They live in the garden quite happily alongside the other minibeasts, so they're not going to harm anything in the compost.

I would think that by trying to destroy them, you'll do more harm than good to the heap. boiling water is going to kill more than the ants, and chemicals will too.

When you use the compost, the ants might want to bite, but they'll happily either relocate at the centre of the heap, or they'll move to another location completely.

They're being encouraged by sweet things (fruit etc) that are in the compost, these things provide tasty meals for them. You want it all broken down, so i would figure opersonally that there shouldn't be a problem with them in the compost at all!

That was a bit longwinded...sorry!

[Cornelian]

I don't bother about the ants in my compost - they've never built nests that I am aware of (my compost probably is a bit too damp) and they will as fee says help aerate the mix. For me they're just part of the wildlife in a compost bin/heap. Better there than in my kitchen. ;)

[Thomzo]

I'm with the others. Personally I'm not an ant lover, being allergic to the bites, but I would let them be in the compost bin. One good place for them.

Zoe

[Bezzie]

Thanks everyone, and "Hello" to Sue, you're only about 45 mins away from where I now live, and I was born in Sheffield.

I obviously did wonder, as I figured they would be good to make the compost a fine tilth. It was the concept of them spreading out from the compost to my kitchen and home (which does get a bad overdose of ants each year) that bothered me.

I'll leave them be, in the compost, and just deal with the house separately.

Hope you all had a good, though wet Bank Holiday in the UK.

Thanks again.