Households are being warned to prepare for ‘Flying Ant Day’ with tips shared by outdoor experts.

As the UK basks in the continuing summer heatwave experts have warned households to prepare for what’s been named Flying Ant Day (FAD).

Outdoor Experts from GardeningExpress.co.uk have told Brits to expect an invasion of winged ants any day now as the heatwave continues.

Although there is no specific date for FAD, the experts say that typically a day arrives after a prolonged heatwave when winged ants flee the heat of their nests to take to the air.

Founder of GardeningExpress Chris Bonnett said: “Most of us have been enjoying the heatwave but while we’ve been making the most of the sun, a storm has been brewing.

“Ants prefer humid weather, and they use this time to get on the lookout for a new home and whilst that’s all well and good, it becomes a real nuisance for those of us who enjoy spending time in our gardens and outdoors.

“Ants in the UK aren’t dangerous, but they can be extremely irritating. We’ve put together some way to get rid of ants in your garden before they’ve even become a problem.”

The first tip is to place tin cans on top of the ants’ soil mounds in the morning, which will drive the insects to move their eggs into the tins during the day as they heat up.

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You can then slip a card under the tin and dispose of the next generation of ants before they had a chance to become a nuisance.

A more traditional method of pest control takes the next spot – and powder.

Dust this substance around patios and around doors, but be careful if you have young children.

Another way to eliminate ants is to simply pour boiling water into cracks in paving, or nests on the lawn.

Washing up liquid is also effective. Add a generous squirt to a spray bottle filled with water, shake to disperse and get spraying those ants.

Artificial sweetener is deadly to insects. GardeningExpress experts recommend mixing it with something like apple juice to make it palatable to the ants – which makes a paste that is toxic to them.

They suggest pouring a bit near to nesting sites, which the ants will then carry back to the colony.

Sprinkling cayenne pepper and cinnamon around your plants and garden will help keep ants at bay too.

And finally, similar to the washing up liquid trick, simply fill a bottle with a mixture of water and white wine vinegar and get spraying.  

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1

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