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Thread: Ants - Best way to eliminate….?

  1. #1
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Ants - Best way to eliminate….?

    Evening all, apologies if this has been asked before, but can anyone recommend anything to effectively kill ants outdoors. We have some on our driveway in between paving blocks and I’ve found boiling water and the nippon powder to be ineffective.
    Any suggestions are gratefully received!


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  2. #2
    Master
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    Buy an ant station from Amazon. Job done.

  3. #3
    Master ~dadam02~'s Avatar
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    Move house.

  4. #4
    Jayes fluid, they hate it, they will not cross it and go elsewhere

  5. #5
    Craftsman Linocut's Avatar
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    Are they causing damage/health hazard? We seem to get them once a year for a few days, then they're gone.

  6. #6
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Linocut View Post
    Are they causing damage/health hazard? We seem to get them once a year for a few days, then they're gone.
    We have a nest at one side of the house, great to see when they emerge and fly later in the year, live and let live.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  7. #7
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by jaytip View Post
    Buy an ant station from Amazon. Job done.
    I tried that once, but it didn't really do much.We have ants under the patio at the back of the house; they emerge during summer and leave sandy deposits around the little holes they make between the paving stones. I'm convinced there's a population pretty much the size of the whole patio.

  8. #8
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Fascinating creatures, and an important part of the ecosystem. Let 'em be.
    Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH

  9. #9
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Ants are generally harmless outdoors and don’t cause any problems. I’d leave them be. Different indoors.
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  10. #10
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by monogroover View Post
    I tried that once, but it didn't really do much.We have ants under the patio at the back of the house; they emerge during summer and leave sandy deposits around the little holes they make between the paving stones. I'm convinced there's a population pretty much the size of the whole patio.
    I bought two last year and they worked a treat for me.
    I don’t know if it makes a difference but we had them inside the house.

  11. #11
    We had ants marching across our dining room, put down an ant station and they changed their route to visit it. The important thing is to leave them to to take some of the poison back to the nest, just let them keep marching for a day or so - the next morning no sign of any ants, and none since indoors (that was 2 years ago). If they’re outside though, I wouldnt worry about them at all tbh


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  12. #12
    Master Man of Kent's Avatar
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    Why would you want to kill ants that are outside?

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  13. #13
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Thanks for the suggestions.
    Sorry I should have been clearer - they are appearing to be damaging under the driveway and occasionally are found in the house. Otherwise I agree I would just leave them alone.


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  14. #14
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by number2 View Post
    We have a nest at one side of the house, great to see when they emerge and fly later in the year, live and let live.
    When I was a small boy, my Grandma and I used to phone each other up to let each other know when the ants were swarming at our respective houses, it was fascinating to watch. Reminds me of her whenever I see it.
    As has been said, live and let live, they can't be that much of a problem to want to kill them all.
    Cheers..
    Jase

  15. #15
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheGent View Post
    Thanks for the suggestions.
    Sorry I should have been clearer - they are appearing to be damaging under the driveway and occasionally are found in the house. Otherwise I agree I would just leave them alone.


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    The amount of material they will be moving will be tiny, I really struggle to see how they’re damaging it.

    I live on the side of a hill, and the garden has several large ant nests in it. Some are on the lawn, and although I see evidence of the excavations in terms of little soil piles, the ground hasn’t collapsed or sunk.

    I’d leave it personally, once you start throwing chemicals into the mix, where does it end.

  16. #16
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tooks View Post
    The amount of material they will be moving will be tiny, I really struggle to see how they’re damaging it.

    I live on the side of a hill, and the garden has several large ant nests in it. Some are on the lawn, and although I see evidence of the excavations in terms of little soil piles, the ground hasn’t collapsed or sunk.

    I’d leave it personally, once you start throwing chemicals into the mix, where does it end.
    This ^^^ if you've found one or two in the house it's probably because they've been carried in on your footwear, or dog, or cat.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  17. #17
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Good advice - thanks all!


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  18. #18
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Man of Kent View Post
    Why would you want to kill ants that are outside?

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    They build up mounds of sandy earth between the paving stones where they leave and enter their massive Doctor No-style underground lair.

  19. #19
    Master
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    Apparently these are quite effective & no chemicals needed.


  20. #20
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tooks View Post
    The amount of material they will be moving will be tiny, I really struggle to see how they’re damaging it.
    I inherited a greenhouse on an allotment about 20 years ago. The greenhouse is resting on a layer of bricks and sand. There is a least one ants nest under the greenhouse, and they do leave little deposits of sand on the surface. I swear the greenhouse is slowing sinking - the bottom of the frame is now about an inch below ground level.

  21. #21
    As above, if they're outside, I would just leave them alone.
    We've had ant problems inside the house before, and usually get them every 3 years or so, an an Ant Stop Bait Station always gets rid of them within a couple of days.

    PS did you know the weight of all the ants in the world would roughly equal the weight of all the human beings in the world?

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