Compost Bin invasion of Ants

[Phill_1066]

I went down to my compost bin today to give it a turn
and shock horror my bin has turned into an ant farm.

The bin is a a rather perimitive affair, really its just an old
wheelie bin with a hole chopped out of the bottom.

Anyway, it has compltly been taken over and I'm not sure
the best way to rid the bin of the ants.

I've tried to flood them out with the hosepipe but they're still there.

Really I don't want to cause the ants to scatter all over the garden and
set up home elsewhere but neither do I want to entoxicate my compost.

This really as swayed my decision on a tumbling compost bin.

An help greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Phill.

[rustylady]

The ants won't do any harm. In fact by making a nest they are actually turning and aerating your compost. They'll be flying off soon, and when you're ready to use your compost they'll probably have moved on. Where do you garden by the way? Here in East Anglia we have real problems with ants as the soil is so light. All getting busy and ready to fly at the moment.

[Stacey Steve]

They'll be flying off soon

It is not the whole colony that will be flying off but just the new queens that form new colonies and males that die after fertilising the new queens. You will still be left with the original colony.

As ants like undisturbed ground, if you turn your compost regularly, then this will eventually stop your problem and speed up you composta making at the same time.

[Phill_1066]

Hello everyonr and thanks for your help.

My Garden is in the Northwest not to many miles north of manchester.

I normally tip the bin out on to the floor and then shovel eveything back
into the same bin to turn the compost, but I was worried that if I did this
that the ants will charge all over the garden and find a new home, or
I may become a victim of attack of the ants.

Would I be correct in saying that all the flying ants are soon to be queen ants then, or are they a happy mix. I suprised myself how little I know about ants.

Anyway I will try and deter the ants by turning the compost into my wheel barrow and keep my eye out for a proper composter.

Cheers

Phill

[lottie dolly]

don't waste money on a shop one,scrounge some pallets if you can and make one for free,if you go to search at top of page and type in compost bin,you will get some more ideas