Update on the Ants Question.

[starone]

Good news! Duncer's solution worked. The ants have gone although I am keeping plenty of cheap washing up liquid handy in case they decide to come back. They may still be lurking. Duncer's solution was to pour cheap washing up liquid into their nest, in case you do not remember. Thanks very much Duncer.

[tonyav]

Well worth remembering, Star.

[marval]

Glad they have gone Star.

[DTCwordfan]

same with wasps apparently......

[tonyav]

So you can put it on a wasps nest then DT ( and kill them off ).

[cazzz1975]

I wouldnt like to try that on a wasp nest!

[tonyav]

I would cazzz, if I were wearing a suit of Armour.

[DTCwordfan]

Our bug man in the States used to do it on African wasps, those mud-like nests that cling to the wall (often the eaves) and look like something from Timbucktoo.

[starone]

No-o-o-o-o- wasps can attack too easily. I wouldn't like to chance that but the ants have really disappeared. I can hardly believe it. No doubt they have gone somewhere else but I am now armed with my trusty washing up liquid ready to spray at the slightest sign of their reappearance.

[boxtops]

I'm still waiting for this year's flying ants - they were supposed to hatch and fly off one day last week (according to the usual calendar) but we haven't seen them at all.

[starone]

They have to wait for a sunny and still day, no wind. When you see the small ones, the workers swarming round the nest and dashing about all over the place, that is the day they have picked. Does not necessarily have to be on the same date each year, just has to be right for their flight. Then is the time to kill as many of the queens as you can when they land and before they have time to find a suitable place for their nest (Just step on them). Otherwise they really will take over the world. Washing up liquid at the ready!!

[smurfchops]

When I see the flying ants start to appear I pour boiling water on them (I feel awful, even though they are ants) but otherwise they just come back by the million the following year. If you can't find their nest, or just see them walking into your home, they hate TALC so pour that around the edges of windows and doors etc.

[tonyav]

I might put some in a water pistol, good target practice those flying ants.

[DTCwordfan]

suggest a look in at Jenna's thread tony.....

[tonyav]

Just looked DT, brilliant baking instructions. lol

[boxtops]

apparently the flying ones are a combination of queens and males - all the ones we normally see walking around are female - the flying ones are the chaps looking for females to mate with, and new queens.

[percypineapple]

we have had hundreds of flying ants appearing for the last month or so. we bought all the sprays, the little black traps etc, and a week later another horde appear. The spray said it will last 3 weeks, sprayed it all down the gap in the skirting board in my mothers hallway, 3 days later, a big black mass of ants and queens pouring out. she now puffs the ant powder down every morning and pours boiling water on the ones outside the door. i have also put the poison traps all over Her house, but still they appear. I missed the posts on the ants, but is it washing up liquid that annoys them?

percy

[boxtops]

Apparently so, percy!

[julia-mag]

I don't know whether it is the change in the weather but I had ants in my compost bin for the first time ever, absolutley loads of them and decided I had to do something to eradicate them, so bought some ant powder, but when I went to use it they had all disappeared! I raked the compost around but they have truly gone! Wasted my money.....Grrrrrr

[ladybirder]

Why are you all killing things. Ants are clever, industrious little critters. Leave 'em alone. They're not hurting you. Live and let live.
Murderers.

[JonnyBoy12]

I am with ladybirder on this one. Many years ago I made a promise to the Creator of the Universe I would never again kill one of this industrious creatures. God kept His promise never to flood the world again and I have to keep mine. Leave those ants alone; they have done you no wrong.