Help, under siege by ants!

[Jannarogers01]

I like ants, I think they are industrious, fascinating and resourceful. However, my garden seems to be where ALL the ants live. I think I may need to readdress the balance somewhat as my containers are suffering.
MY oh unkindly offered to pour boiling water on them, but I find that thought horrific. Does anyone have any advice as to what I can do to rebalance my wildlife?
I have a "gardening with nature" garden, flowers, verf, shrubs, weeds, insects, 3 blind cats and me. I'm sure there is room for ants, just perhaps some of their natural predators too.

[burnie]

Not too many natural predators in gardens, the worst thing is they do tend to " farm" aphids for the honeydew and will attack their predators. Other than that I don't think Ants are too much of a problem, unless you live in a jungle and have Leaf Cutter Ants.

[Twynyrodyn]

I find that a teaspoon of semolina, left in a little pile, works for about 3 weeks.

[flynch]

Baited traps near the nest or plants they are attacking or nematodes that are specific to ants.

[Guest]

You can get nemotodes for ants. I am debating getting some as I have that many they have got to the point of destroying my root veg. They are just everywhere. In the paddock I have ant hills just as big as mole hills. I wonder if I could have an ant eater as a pet

[fishpond]

European Red Ants (Fire Ants) or Black Ants?
Very good reason for asking?
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...den_84748.html
If its Black ants, easy.
If its European Red Ants (Fire Ants), problem.

[Guest]

Why is red ants an issue? (apart from they bite) I have both but it is the black that are more bothersome

I also looked at the old thread where it says they kill all other bugs but I haven't noticed a lack of any other bugs in my garden

[fishpond]

NG
It depends whether you have red ants or European Red Ants (Fire Ants).
Fire ants really are a pain and they will not go away, no matter how much you shout at them, yes they do eat other insects.
If you have black and red, I suspect you have black and wood ants, not European Red Ants, as the black ones will be either killed or they will move.

[burnie]

Green woodpeckers eat ants, not much else in the Uk, I think wood ants are a protected species due to rarity, not too sure if I'm remembering that right, I'll check.
Nope I made that up, but they should be.....................

[Guest]

Green woodpeckers eat ants, not much else in the Uk, I think wood ants are a protected species due to rarity, not too sure if I'm remembering that right, I'll check.

Oh thank you for that. That explains why I only see the green woodpecker out front in the paddock.