[annie2006]

hiya,

ive had my new allotment a couple of weeks now and it was mainly grass when i started. ive now been digging the grass out and preparing beds, and up to press i have found 4 ants nests in the soil. i have left them alone at present, but im just wondering if ive done the right thing.
are they a pest or going to be a help to me? thanks

[Tattyanne456]

 I'm no expert but I think ants in relatively small numbers dont really pose a threat, but large numbers as in nests full could cause you problems. They 'farm' aphids, and aphids cause all sorts of problems.

[woodburner]

If I have any left after I finish clearing my plot I want to try Bob Flowerdew's trick of feeding jam to the ants so that they eat the aphids (for the protein) rather than farming them (for sugar). 

[annie2006]

sounds a clever idea woodburner. u will have to let us know how it goes!

well think i will just leave them alone for now as the nests are pretty small as yet. thanks for the replies.

[Trebor]

I had the same and there is bit more on this in the post 'Ants in the bed' - I tried to link it below but can't be sure it will work:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=32705.msg391130#msg391130

...if not then it is about 5 pages back at this point.

[Lady Lottie]

If I have any left after I finish clearing my plot I want to try Bob Flowerdew's trick of feeding jam to the ants so that they eat the aphids (for the protein) rather than farming them (for sugar). 

That's an interesting idea!  Do you just leave jam dotted about in conspicuous places near where the ants hang out?  Maybe a little "Hey ants! Jam Happy Hour Here!" sign..? Sorry...its been a long week....

[woodburner]

If I have any left after I finish clearing my plot I want to try Bob Flowerdew's trick of feeding jam to the ants so that they eat the aphids (for the protein) rather than farming them (for sugar). 

That's an interesting idea!  Do you just leave jam dotted about in conspicuous places near where the ants hang out?  Maybe a little "Hey ants! Jam Happy Hour Here!" sign..? Sorry...its been a long week....

Hmm ants on a sugar high . . .   
Bob dotted the jam on the leaf axils, but I expect anywhere in the vincinity would work, as long as the rain doesn't wash it off straight away.