Author Topic: ants in my pants and they bite too! (Read 4778 times)

Paulines7 · « **on:** July 14, 2008, 22:20:36 »

Having rid the greenhouse of most of the caterpillars, I now have a nest of black ants with adults surfacing ready to fly. Now if that is not bad enough, the little b***ers are very aggressive and extremely fast. I only have to go into the greenhouse for a few seconds and they are all over my feet and very quickly make their way up my trousers biting, every now and again. They can scale my legs and get up to my neck in less than a minute. I didn't think black ants bit but these ones do. >:(

Perhaps they are protecting the nest but I am going to catch them unawares this evening and pour a kettle of boiling water down their nest. I put Nippon down today but I think it is too late now as they will be everywhere tomorrow when the winged brigade come out.

Let battle commence.

betula · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2008, 22:23:50 »

I have lost count of the amount of ants nests I have unearthed in my gardening work,yes they do bite and yes I agree they are very fast.Over you in a flash. :)

Paulines7 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2008, 16:48:26 »

I inspected the greenhouse this morning and there was no sign of the ants. Thinking I had killed them all with the boiling water, I just went up there to take down some staging and ants are flying everywhere. I could use ant killer but I don't want to risk it getting on my tomatoes and cues.

I suppose I could take the plants out first as they are all in pots but that will take ages and will not be any good for my back.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2008, 17:06:20 »

Open the door and leave them to escape. Then use jam mixed with a bit of borax, if you must kill them.

Paulines7 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2008, 17:56:18 »

Thanks for your reply RB, the doors and windows are open so it looks as if I will have to delay taking down the staging and water by torchlight again tonight. Is borax better than Nippon?

grawrc · « **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2008, 20:01:30 »

Robert the tone of your post suggests to me that you think Pauline shouldn't kill them.. Am I right? If so why not? (not confrontational simply curious)

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #6 on:** July 15, 2008, 22:41:08 »

They kill a lot of nasties. I leave them alone on the basis that they probably do a lot more good than harm.

My mother grew up in Malaya, as it was then, where they had periodic invasions of army ants. These things are now rare due to insecticides; they move their nests frequently, and eat anything they can kill. They're a fair size for ants, and they bit like mad. They used to be glad when they moved in; everyone moved out for the duration, and all the small beasties in the house would be exterminated.

grawrc · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2008, 05:34:46 »

I remember when staying in Portugal many years ago one pf my children's greatest entertainments was to put a teaspoonful of sugar on the kitchen floor or worktop and watch the ant army mobilise to carry it back to the nest. Quite fascinating. Any food left out in that house was pretty quickly covered in ants. Thank you for the explanation.

northener · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2008, 16:58:59 »

What beasties are we talking Robert in a greenhouse. Tell me they'd kill whitefly.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2008, 18:51:41 »

Anything small they can catch. Earwigs. Woodlice. Whitefly would probably escape.

Paulines7 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2008, 15:23:07 »

I still can't get into greenhouse without being attacked. I haven't been able to tie in new growth on tomatoes or pick off the side shoots. Everything is in a mess. I just about managed to pick a few tomatoes yesterday but then had to get rid of the ants in and up my trousers, in my socks and shoes. It's an absolute nightmare.

This morning I dived in and put down more Nippon in various places.

rosebud · « **Reply #11 on:** July 22, 2008, 18:46:05 »

Pauline put down a mixture of BORAX & jam or honey etc: lots of borax in 2 or 3 different places in the greenhouse when its dark that should shift them all, YES borax is better than nippon.

Paulines7 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2008, 00:06:26 »

Thanks Rosebud. RB also mentioned borax too so OH will get me some tomorrow during his lunch break.

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #13 on:** July 23, 2008, 04:07:25 »

http://www.thefrugallife.com/ants.html
The above site lists many ideas including borax. Diatomaceous earth is one that seems to work also.

Barnowl · « **Reply #14 on:** July 23, 2008, 10:43:24 »

I had a nest in one of my potato containers - I imagine anyone watching the sorry spectacle of me trying to get the spuds out would have been rolling with laughter :)

Olivia G · « **Reply #15 on:** July 23, 2008, 11:08:53 »

Hi,

I tried out one of these ultrasonic things for the cats in my garden and it worked quite well.
This one I found though is solar;
http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/solar-powered-repeller-p-2576.html?cPath=24_368

If anyone has tried one knows of anyone who has, let me know if it is worth me purchasing one. I'm getting a few ants but not had an infestation yet, but I want to get it sorted before I am over-run!

Thanks

Paulines7 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 23, 2008, 11:59:08 »

I have booked marked that site Grannie Annie so thanks for the link. Plenty of ideas to try out. I think I will go up to the greenhouse now with some baby talc. If I sprinkle it on the concrete path inside, it may keep them away from me so I can sort the tomato plants out.

OliviaG, I too would be interested in whether the solar powered repeller works.

I have just noticed that you are new here OliviaG, so welcome to the site. You will find everyone very friendly and helpful on here.

JaseMac · « **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2008, 12:26:12 »

I was listening to Five Live yesterday teatime (while at the plot) and they were discussing the latest flying ant infestations - apparently in Germany it is illegal to kill ants! Thought I'd better do some investigation on this, and unearthed this from the Metro website. ::)

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=3424&in_page_id=2

Good job we don't live in Germany - we'd never get rid of the little b*****s!

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #18 on:** July 23, 2008, 12:31:01 »

Quote from: Paulines7 on July 23, 2008, 11:59:08

I have booked marked that site Grannie Annie so thanks for the link. Plenty of ideas to try out. I think I will go up to the greenhouse now with some baby talc. If I sprinkle it on the concrete path inside, it may keep them away from me so I can sort the tomato plants out.

Maybe putting baby talc on your socks and legs would help! Come to think of it maybe I'll try that since they get in my sandals.

manicscousers · « **Reply #19 on:** July 23, 2008, 18:03:55 »

uncovered the compost heap today, loads of flying and ordinary swarming ants, left them to it ::)
when I went back after half an hour, they were all over the pavings ,too :o
needless to say, the compost heap's still uncovered ;D

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Author Topic: ants in my pants and they bite too! (Read 4778 times)