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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

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Original poster

How to get rid of ants and any flies

19 replies

DahliaRose · 09/08/2023 14:56

We've had ants in the garden for a few years but they have always been far enough away from the areas we use that we didn't really bother.

However last night I went out to the patio and saw a huge number of ants crawling around the base of our parasol.

I lifted it up and found thousands of ants and ant flys living under it.

I lifted them all and doused the area in boiling water and bleach and got it down all the little holes I could see.

I wanted half an hour and did the same again to get any that were left.

Then later on that night I did boiling water and salt.

This morning I've gone out and they seem to be multiplying again. They are also ruining my blocking as that are making holes in the mortar.

Is there a way to get rid of them or does it need a professional?

OP posts:

Ifailed · 09/08/2023 21:05

Why do you want to get rid of them, they are an integral part to your garden?

Original poster

DahliaRose · 10/08/2023 07:39

They are right next to my garden furniture and parasol and therefore climbing all over my furniture.

As I said when they were further away they weren't bothering us but now they are.

When we sit out they are crawling all over our feet and my son is terrified to go out.

OP posts:

Meadowfly · 10/08/2023 07:42

In the uk black ants don’t sting people, no need for your son to be afraid. They are a bit annoying around ‘flying ant day’ but whole sale destruction is a bit ott. Rather sad really.

grumpytoddler1 · 10/08/2023 07:42

You need a couple of ant bait stations. If you contact a professional that's what they will do but you can buy them yourself off Amazon or eBay for a few pounds. You put the bait station down, the ants go in it and take the bait back to the nest and it kills all the ants in the nest. Takes a couple of days.

blobby10 · 10/08/2023 08:10

My previous house had a small front garden that was full of ants nests - thought I'd escaped them once I moved but now, 3 years on, I mowed the front grass and yep - three bloody ant hills! I knew they were in the back garden and knew they are in the brick wall of the conservatory (they appear inside with monotonous regularity and get treated to a dousing with powder) but wish they would just stick to under the patio! I know they are good to have but not when they are ruining your brickwork and woodwork!

OctogenarianDecathlete · 10/08/2023 08:31

Yesterday was flying ant day in many places. I expect the majority of them will now disappear back into their nests and won't cause you a problem till next year

Karwomannghia · 10/08/2023 08:32

Yes flying ant day yesterday meant many people had swarms. It should be different today.

TwigTheWonderKid · 10/08/2023 09:35

Ants don't cause any damage and are very important to the ecosystem. No need to destroy them.

Original poster

DahliaRose · 10/08/2023 10:27

I don't mind them if they are away from the area we use but they are crawling all over us when we are out and we eat there.

I'll try the bait stations and see how we get on.

OP posts:

GasPanic · 10/08/2023 13:24

Problem is the queens can live for a decade and hide in spaces that you can't get to.

Use nippon to kill them.

Original poster

DahliaRose · 10/08/2023 13:45

I know I read it you don't get the queen they will just keep coming back to move if they are disturbed. I don't mind if they move back to where they were before as it was away from patio.

My new patio is taking a hammering as they have made holes in the all mortar in between the paving.

OP posts:

F1ymetothetoon · 10/08/2023 13:45

It was flying ant day in my garden too yesterday - how on earth do they all know to appear at the same time in different parts of the country? 🤔

eurochick · 10/08/2023 14:09

It was flying any day here too yesterday. They got into the playroom and the kids went nuts. Most got swept outside and were left to do their thing. A few that wouldn't shift got hoovered. I'd rather not kill them. They do no harm outside but I will if they are in the house.

NanTheWiser · 10/08/2023 14:43

F1ymetothetoon · 10/08/2023 13:45

It was flying ant day in my garden too yesterday - how on earth do they all know to appear at the same time in different parts of the country? 🤔

Temperature and humidity have to be exactly right for them to swarm, so recent rain and warmer temperatures have coincided for their flying day.

MereDintofPandiculation · 11/08/2023 10:07

F1ymetothetoon · 10/08/2023 13:45

It was flying ant day in my garden too yesterday - how on earth do they all know to appear at the same time in different parts of the country? 🤔

They don’t, this is apparent a myth. What they do do is react to the same weather conditions

IcakethereforeIam · 11/08/2023 12:50

If you use bait stations you shouldn't also kill the ants or they won't live to take the poison back to the nest. You can make your own bait by mixing borax with icing sugar, not sure of the relative quantities but there's probably a YouTube.

AbsoluteYawns · 11/08/2023 12:53

Cinnamon powder!
It's amazing and worked for me when the ants were coming into my home. They hate the smell apparently.

Tiredmum100 · 11/08/2023 13:36

My son would be devastated reading this post. He bloody loves ants. They are amazing creatures. Why kill the ants? They're living creatures. So cruel.

grumpytoddler1 · 11/08/2023 22:04

Tiredmum100 · 11/08/2023 13:36

My son would be devastated reading this post. He bloody loves ants. They are amazing creatures. Why kill the ants? They're living creatures. So cruel.

I kill them because they don't stay under the patio, they get into the house. Then eventually there are hundreds of them running round on the inside of my bifold doors, and I've got two small children who will get bitten. Yes, they're amazing creatures and ordinarily I'd enjoy watching them, but I'm unfortunately not as keen if they're crawling up the baby's high chair.

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