Small mounds in garden

Posts

• Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889

  July 2020

  ants?

  Devon.

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• rajpatel_rb Posts: 4

  July 2020

  Hostafan1 said:

  ants?
  
  I have no idea as I can't see ants anywhere near the these things. They are not like a hill. Another picture to give more idea.
  

  
  

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• Loxley Posts: 5,698

  July 2020

  It is ants
  
  

  "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  July 2020

  I think there's an ant nest under your lawn ... they're not always built up into hills ... on hot days they ventilate the nest by opening it up  with sort of 'chimneys' ... you can see the holes which lead down into the centre of the nest and the tiny grains of soil, each one has been carried up to the surface by an individual ant.  Amazing creatures. 
  
  This article describes how wood ants ventilate their nests https://www.theblean.co.uk/wildlife-heritage/wildlife-of-the-blean/wood-ants/... other species behave in a similar way.  

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• rajpatel_rb Posts: 4

  July 2020

  WillDB said:

  It is ants
  
  Great (I think). At least we have identified it. I am not seeing ants on the surface at least.
  
  Now, how do I get rid of them as I have may be 20/25 of these in my garden.
  
  Thanks.

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  July 2020

  Are they causing a real problem?  Ants are very useful in the garden, contributing to the aeration of the soil.  They also feed on all sorts of other bugs which may cause problems to the gardener.   Just brushing the lawn with a besom before mowing should deal with the visual effects of the little piles of soil. https://bargainworld.uk/groundsman-besom-broom-21299-p.asp?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9J_KwLPU6gIVCLLtCh3fDgDTEAkYAiABEgI1VvD_BwE
  
  
  If they are a real problem you can use ant-specific nematodes, but these will move them on, not kill them, thankfully 
  
  https://marshallsgarden.com/products/nemasys-no-ants-10903823?ds_rl=1278790&ds_rl=1284312&ds_rl=1278790&ds_rl=1284312&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwZri_rLU6gIV1oTVCh3ikgPKEAAYBiAAEgKFpvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
  
  Please don't try to kill them with chemicals ... it's not effective and you will kill all the helpful creatures that help to keep your soil in good heart so that your plants grow healthily. 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• rajpatel_rb Posts: 4

  July 2020

  Dovefromabove said:

  Are they causing a real problem?  Ants are very useful in the garden, contributing to the aeration of the soil.  They also feed on all sorts of other bugs which may cause problems to the gardener.   Just brushing the lawn with a besom before mowing should deal with the visual effects of the little piles of soil. https://bargainworld.uk/groundsman-besom-broom-21299-p.asp?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9J_KwLPU6gIVCLLtCh3fDgDTEAkYAiABEgI1VvD_BwE
  
  
  If they are a real problem you can use ant-specific nematodes, but these will move them on, not kill them, thankfully 
  
  https://marshallsgarden.com/products/nemasys-no-ants-10903823?ds_rl=1278790&ds_rl=1284312&ds_rl=1278790&ds_rl=1284312&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwZri_rLU6gIV1oTVCh3ikgPKEAAYBiAAEgKFpvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
  
  Please don't try to kill them with chemicals ... it's not effective and you will kill all the helpful creatures that help to keep your soil in good heart so that your plants grow healthily. 

  Thank you very much for the detailed information. I don't want to kill the ants but these things are all over my garden (possibly around 20 of these mounds). They have totally spoilt the lawn. Not sure what to do quite frankly. I would rather move them along then kill them.
  
  Your suggestion for moving them along sounds really good. I will definitely look into that. Thank you

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