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Gardening

Ants in my compost bin !

(16 Posts)
tiredoldwoman Sun 04-Jul-21 13:35:28

I've just added some stuff to my bin and on opening it saw hundreds of ants and eggs everywhere - jikes ! I left the top off in the hope that the birds would hop in and scoff the lot .
Ants in compost bin - good or bad ?

Esspee Sun 04-Jul-21 13:39:11

I wouldn’t be too bothered but if they were near the house there is a gel which you put crossing their tracks, they eat it and take it back to their nest, never to be seen again.

ayse Sun 04-Jul-21 13:43:19

Much better than rats (we had them) and I wouldn’t be too bothered about ants either.

Grannynannywanny Sun 04-Jul-21 13:57:13

I was fascinated watching a starling eating ants in my son’s garden recently. I thought at first the bird was injured when I saw it thrashing about on the patio. But it was rolling on a swarm of ants, then eating the crushed ants from its feathers.

tiredoldwoman Sun 04-Jul-21 14:03:33

Oooh , how grisly and fascinating Grannynannywanny ! I've left the lid off my bin and planted some bread around it to lead the birds to the feast . Sitting at the window waiting to see what happens , would love to see a starling rolling and crushing my ants !

Blossoming Sun 04-Jul-21 14:15:37

We have a mouse living in ours. It’s down the bottom of the garden out of sight. As long as it doesn’t start chewing outdoor cables, etc. I’m not bothered. If it comes near the house it’s war!

Rufus2 Sun 04-Jul-21 14:18:49

Ants in compost bin - good or bad ?

I'm neutral, but I'd leave them alone to go of their own accord!
On the other hand, and a bit off topic, but my previous Chinese GP diagnosed diabetes if ants were around the toilet! hmm

tiredoldwoman Sun 04-Jul-21 14:24:40

'Sweet peas/pees' , Rufus ?

Nannarose Sun 04-Jul-21 14:32:21

Sometimes it's because the bin is too dry. Try watering it 9unless it's already sodden!)

MaizieD Sun 04-Jul-21 14:38:23

Can anyone tell me why ants in the compost bin is a problem?

I would have just left them to get on with it.

tiredoldwoman Sun 04-Jul-21 15:41:53

They carried my old gardener off and took him into the bin .

Callistemon Sun 04-Jul-21 15:48:09

Our garden is full of ants, I don't mind unless they come indoors. I presume they're in the compost heap too.
The birds love them.

FlexibleFriend Mon 05-Jul-21 12:04:53

My entire garden is currently swarming with ants. I have a wooden trough that is falling apart and I need to move the plants into very large pots so I've sprinkled lots of ant powder around which seems to have dealt with them. I can't cope with ants running up my arms into my armpits in their hundreds so they had to go. Hopefully I'll manage to make a start on moving the plants today.

Hetty58 Mon 05-Jul-21 13:10:26

I use chalk around plant pots, shrub stems (and the back door) as ants won't cross it. Birds 'bathe' in ants to rid themselves of mites too!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anting_(bird_activity)

midgey Mon 05-Jul-21 15:08:35

I understood that ants in a compost bin mean that it’s too dry, if it’s too dry stuff will not break down properly, leave the lid off as the weather man says it’s going to pour all night!

Callistemon Mon 05-Jul-21 15:17:02

We've got lots of wood lice too, not necessarily near any wood, just underneath pots.