HELP! ANTS IN MY COMPOSTER!! please help!

[tulip]

ants really dislike mint - if you happen to have any peppermint oil - a jug of water with a few drops of the oil, poured on the heap and round the base of the composter should help send them elsewhere. I had some set up camp in my wormery, after smearing the outside with peppermint oil and putting mint leaves in the layers, they disappeared in a few days.

good luck!

tulip

[terrier]

Ants don't usually bother me, as long as they're not doing damage just leave them alone. But a few years ago I had a row of lettuce under a clotch, when I lifted the clotch they were black with ants, really gave me the shivers, so I just dug the lot in. They must have moved on because nothing else was affected that year.

[King Carrot]

I've heard Nutrasweet™ is an effective ant nest killer – anyone want to experiment on the ants rather than themselves

[Glutton4...]

We had a nest in one of my Dad's raised beds last year. I read somewhere that they only like undisturbed soil. So after I flooded it with the hose for four days in a row, I dug it over. This year I let the 'Laydees' on there, but they had all gone! I hate the little wotsits too, so good luck!

[rogesse]

The semolina trick worked for me last year.

I don't mind the black ants too much unless their nest is right under a plant which then collapses (melons last year then the little b****rs ate the only decent fruit).

Red ants Noooo........I fell asleep sunbathing on the lawn a few years back - right on top of a red ant nest. I was in agony all day

[piskieinboots]

nematodes be organic too an all

[chellybobs]

Think I'll try the buckets of water first - sounds cheap and organic enough for a newbie lol!
Cheers all xx

[Demeter]

We used semolina last year. It seemed to work, although we also tried chickens so I couldn't say it was definitely the semolina that did it

If you use the search button there are some threads about it - you put down a dish of semolina (I mixed mine with sugar to make it more attractive) and they take it back to the nest, the queen eats it, semolina expands, queen explodes, no more ants.

[piskieinboots]

there are ants in my dalek also, not a problem - they are helping churn the compost up

You could always try nematodes if they really bother you

[geoff]

Getting ants in a Dalek compost bin is not unusual; your compost is probably too dry
There's no need to get ant killing powder or to use boiling water. Break up the compost -cum - ant's nest with a fork, chuck in 2 or 3 bucket's of cold water, and stir it up again. Don't worry about using too much water, any excess will just drain out

[chellybobs]

I've got ants nesting in my Dalek too. It's not a problem. Water them if they bother you.

I've got loads of red ants in my garden, but I leave them be.

DALEK - LOVE THAT!!!! IM new to this so not heard that b4, will use that again soo good lol!

[chellybobs]

Its a standard big black thing, we got from the council - they dont go in for design lol! I'll have a look for ant trap type thingy, and ill boil the kettle later lol! ANYTHING to get rid of them - they just go through me uugh!
Thanks guys x

[Two_Sheds]

I've got ants nesting in my Dalek too. It's not a problem. Water them if they bother you.

I've got loads of red ants in my garden, but I leave them be.

[Eyren]

Is it a worm composter or a regular compost bin? I don't think they'll ruin your compost, but on the other hand if there are a lot of them and you really can't cope, you could get some ant bait from the supermarket or garden centre and put it next to the bin. The ants take the poison into their nest and it kills the queen and larvae - after that they just give up the colony, I think. It takes a bit longer than spraying with insecticide, but it's better since it won't contaminate your compost:

Ant Stop! : Products : Ant Stop! Bait Station

We use it indoors very successfully, though I've not tried it in the garden.

[jonohanson]

eeeeeuuugghh!!
Ive just been in the composter to put some peelings in and i have got a HUGE ant infestation!!!! HELP!!!
Does anyone know.....
WHY?
HOW?
WHAT THE BLOODY ELL DO I DO!!!
(I hate ants by the way!)
Chelle xxxxxx

Yep my ant buddies are starting to re-appear, last year they hit the composter and to remove them with out contaminating the compost I poured a few kettles of boiling water on them.

This year i'm ready for them, nippon ant traps have been laid all round the garden.

But ive also noticed the lottie has 2 red ant nests