For past week I've found 3 ants in my living room

[Itsmeagainandagain]

Does that mean it's becoming an infestation or are they just randomly coming into my home and nothing to worry about

[quote LegoCaltrops]@longtompot I didn't like it either but it was our kitchen they were invading, we kept finding them in the bin, taking tiny bits of stuff out... utterly hideous.

@KillerFlamingo I didn't know that about talcum powder, if we ever get them again I'll try that first. I don't like killing things, especially if it's just because they're inconvenient to me. I'd rather try a deterrent first.

Wish I could find a viable deterrent for the invasion of flies every summer. We live near farmland. And woodland. I swear I saw a horsefly earlier. I've looked into screens but can't find any that would work with our windows.[/quote]
What type of windows do you have that makes buying screens awkward? I'm assuming sash. Tilt & turn make it difficult too but are unlikely to be every window.

I've recently bought screens and realised that there are solutions for any kind of window if you'd like me to make any suggestions.

@JuneJuly - they're UPVC windows that open outwards from the top. The handles are quite chunky & stick inwards quite a bit, I've looked online but I can't find anything similar. The upstairs ones are fire escape windows too so we wouldn't be able to block them. I've suggested net curtains to DH as I think that would keep most of the flying invaders out, but he thinks they're old fashioned. Not sure if nets would keep other animals out though... he went into the kitchen this morning to find next door's cat just climbing down onto the windowsill!

@LegoCaltrops Where are the handles positioned? Also at the top, on the side, or at the bottom?

So the top of the windows tilt outwards with the bottom being the pivot? Or is the pivot across the centre?(so that the bottom half comes in as the top goes out)

Hi @JuneJuly I’ve just taken some photos. Excuse the aloe vera /wannabe triffid getting in on the act!

Any suggestions you could give would be most appreciated, I’ve looked in the past but everything seems either outrageously expensive or unsuitable for these windows.

@LegoCaltrops, hiya. Thanks for pics.

It looks like there's a top opener within a fuller frame that also opens, is that right? Would you want the screen to cover the whole window in this case or would a screen for the top opener be enough? I'm assuming the handle in the second picture is at the very bottom of the full window??

I'll check some stuff out & try & get back to you later today.

Just to cover the top part would be enough. We don't usually open the bottom/large part of the window open. The downstairs windows aren't
fire windows so they don't open at the bottom, just the top, they otherwise look the same. However we have the top part of the windows in our bedroom (mine & DH's) open all year. No heating either. DH is perpetually boiling!

Hi @LegoCaltrops, only me!

I think basically what you're looking for is a screen that will affix to the internal uPVC frame around the top openers. How it attaches depends on how much you want to spend but it sounds like you'd rather they're not too expensive.

I was the same, just wanted to pay as little as necessary for something that would do the trick. I needed to spend more for one screen which is our exit window upstairs and is a tilt & turn window that opens inward, so it has to be fitted externally. The rest of my windows are top openers so for only the ones that I want to be able to keep open I bought a kit that contains fly mesh & some velcro-type fastening, which you can cut to size. The mesh is attached to the velcro strip all the way around when the window is open and then you just unattach it to reach the handle, to fasten the window.

I bought my screens from a company called New Blinds and got this kit for the top openers…

newblinds.co.uk/velcro-mesh-fly-screens-flystop-plus-150x180cm-velcro-mesh-window-fly-screen

There are 2 different sizes in this plus version & there is also a cheaper version. After measuring I also decided to get some extra velcro tape which is available in their window screen accessories section.

If you're happy to spend a bit more for something more sturdy there are magnetic fastening screens, which can also be cut to size, but I think one kit would only do one window, whereas with the velcro ones you can do multiple windows from one kit depending on window size.

Magnetic screens here newblinds.co.uk/magnetic-fly-screen They would just lift and rest on the handle when the window is shut, much like the velcro ones.

If you wanted to cover your full opening window you could use something like this - newblinds.co.uk/velcro-mesh-fly-screens-flystop-skylight-130x150cm-velcro-mesh-skylight

Similar products from a different company here

www.flyscreenqueen.co.uk/flyscreen-windows/simple-window-kits.html This uses polyester fabric rather than fly screen mesh, would still work though.

www.flyscreenqueen.co.uk/flyscreen-windows/magnetic-flyscreen-windows.html
Fly Screen Queen have short videos too, so you can see both these types of screens in action.

Another alternative is this www.easy-flyscreens.co.uk I intend to create my own version of these eventually but just got the cheaper option to do for now.

Ok, sorry it's such a long post but I hope it is helpful to you & you manage to find something suitable.

To the OP, apologies for hijacking the end of this thread. Maybe the information will be useful to anyone wanting to keep out insects in general.

Do you have carpenter ants where you live? We used to see rather large black ants quite often. They were carpenter ants who eat the wood in your house.

We had to get a pest control in who drilled holes in the house and sprayed in something.

We never saw them again.

diamondpestcontrol.co.uk/problems-with-carpenter-ants-uk/

They don't like lemon juice, so if you haven't got any ant traps or spray, that's a good alternative.

Basically you need to destroy the scent trail that they make. So it's not just about killing the ants (not sorry about that - I hate the feckers), but about stopping the trail that sends a 'message' to the other ants that they have found food. So anywhere you think they might be coming in you should spray. Or use powder as PP have suggested.

If you have a cupboard where you keep sweet stuff, make sure you clean that out thoroughly, and then spray the whole thing before you put everything back.

Wow @JuneJuly that's amazing, thankyou so much, we'll definitely be able to find something suitable from all the information you've given me there!

Ants are harmless. Please try the non-cruel methods first that PPs have described above.

No problems @LegoCaltrops, glad it was of some help. Hope you can get sorted with something soon. I've still to fit mine but will be doing it this coming week & I can't wait to leave windows open in the cooler evenings without fear that 'things' can get in!

Oh, also wanted to mention that, on their homepage, New Blinds usually have a 10% discount code in case you decide to buy anything from them. There's a July code running at the moment which will probably be replaced by another one in August.

Fab, thanks. We do usually have our bedroom windows open all year (in my & DH's room) as he is a human radiator, & I like the fresh air. However as you can see, we're rural. A couple of years ago I got woken in the middle of the night, in winter, by a dying wasp. It was grumpy. By the time I eliminated the bastard DH was grumpy too. I didn't want it stinging anyone else!

They don't like the smell of vinegar. When we found some in our kitchen, I started wiping down the work surfaces with a mixture of water and vinegar and they disappeared.