I can't believe what is being suggested on here - boiling water ... fire ... poison? What's wrong with you all? Ants will do you no harm. If you want them to move you could just disturb the nest a little and they will upsticks and move on - leave a trail of something sweet at the same time to an area you don't mind them being.
If that doesn't work whhy not ask for advice on the RSPB website or similar? No need to kill them.
What's wrong with you all? Ants will do you no harm.
Was waiting for this, had a reply ready.
Do ruining the lawn, making potholes that sink when you stand on them, spoiling your family's enjoyment of their garden, attracting infestation of spiders that make the wife afraid to live in her home & the possibility of undermining foundations not count as harm?
I have heard of a few ways too move them on. Planting mint (not sure if this will work for so many of them) and another way is to sprinkle pepper in and around their nest. I'm afraid they are hard to get rid of. We had loads of nests in our old garden but because it was a big garden I left them too it. I would do whatever you feel happy doing...I never used boiling water etc because it would have felt wrong but you sound as though you have a big infestation.
Ants really don't like wet soil, so as Verdun suggested - keep it very soggy. I'd also open it up for the birds to get at. We have very light soil at work, and get frequent visits from a family of green woodpeckers who spend hours at a time poking their bills into the lawn eating ants
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Sounds like an unusually big ant nest, and a bit unnerving to be so close to the house. I think you should contact a local pest control company for advice.
I had them take over a large pot last year. Everything in it was dying because of the huge air chambers they dig beneath the soil. Like Verdun, I flooded them out with a hose and I had no more issues with them there. We'll see what happens this year! I understand what nightgarden is saying but they are destructive - they'd already laid waste to my rockery!
I just read on the internet for small nests in grass to put a plant pot (ceramic) over the area and as it heats the lava and eggs will move to the top and you scrape the whole lot up and move it to a different site... this is eco friendly and does not kill them... not sure about the massive site you describe though!!!!!
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I can't believe what is being suggested on here - boiling water ... fire ... poison? What's wrong with you all? Ants will do you no harm. If you want them to move you could just disturb the nest a little and they will upsticks and move on - leave a trail of something sweet at the same time to an area you don't mind them being.
If that doesn't work whhy not ask for advice on the RSPB website or similar? No need to kill them.
Was waiting for this, had a reply ready.
Do ruining the lawn, making potholes that sink when you stand on them, spoiling your family's enjoyment of their garden, attracting infestation of spiders that make the wife afraid to live in her home & the possibility of undermining foundations not count as harm?
Ants really don't like wet soil, so as Verdun suggested - keep it very soggy. I'd also open it up for the birds to get at. We have very light soil at work, and get frequent visits from a family of green woodpeckers who spend hours at a time poking their bills into the lawn eating ants
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Sounds like an unusually big ant nest, and a bit unnerving to be so close to the house. I think you should contact a local pest control company for advice.
I had them take over a large pot last year. Everything in it was dying because of the huge air chambers they dig beneath the soil. Like Verdun, I flooded them out with a hose and I had no more issues with them there. We'll see what happens this year! I understand what nightgarden is saying but they are destructive - they'd already laid waste to my rockery!
Has any one ever sat on a red ants nest? i have. Its not pleasant
I just read on the internet for small nests in grass to put a plant pot (ceramic) over the area and as it heats the lava and eggs will move to the top and you scrape the whole lot up and move it to a different site... this is eco friendly and does not kill them... not sure about the massive site you describe though!!!!!