24 August, 2008

Ants

Everywhere. In the garden. In my pants. I do not get prizes for quick reactions. A sharp pain near my ankle. Then my knee. Then my thigh. And only then did I think, oh sod, it's an ant heading north and fast. Got there just in time.

Anyway, what's the general consensus? Are ants a problem? Clearly they are, when in or near my pants, but in the garden? Should I be marching around the garden with a full recently boiled kettle decimating the countless nests that appear to be resident in my patch? What do you think? What harm can they do (apart from to me)?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just don't watch the last Indiana Jones film! I don't think they do much harm in the garden as long as they're not right underneath a favourite plant.

BilboWaggins said...

I'd like to know the answer to the ant question. We have a few ants nests at Bag End and I dare not mention any of the locations to Husband because he'll be outside with a kettle of boiling water before you can blink.

Brigid - if they are under a plant I assume the nest will erode the roots?

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

I tend to leave them alone for the most part. If they are nesting in a big way you will find the surrounding plants get a bit leggy and sick but the odd nest here and there doesn't seem to do too much harm.