[lazza]

last week, I noticed a large number of tiny white eggs in my compost bin, and not knowing what they were, I left them. Now, the whole bin is overrun with ants.

Could this be a problem? I have nothing against ants as such, but not sure if they will cause problems (or maybe even help) the composting process. The bin is at one corner of the garden, away from anything I grow, but are ants a pest for any of the veg, long term?

[compostqueen]

Ants are all over everywhere during the hot dry spells but in your compo bin they won't do any harm. They're said to be beneficial in that they harvest aphids.  They will churn up your compost for you so that's good!  You could try wetting your compost when you next add some ingredients

[bigben]

I often end up with flying ant like insects in my compost bin. The tend to use it to just get started  once the eggs all hatch and they get wings they go and I dont see them again until the following year.

[aelf]

It is a sign that your compost is on the dry side. Might benefit from being watered.

[stompy]

It is a sign that your compost is on the dry side. Might benefit from being watered.

I Agree 

[lazza]

thanks

it has been dry, and I did put a lot of the "scarification" waste from the (very dry) front lawn in it... although didn't know you could water a compost heap! 

[Trillium]

Ants hate disturbance so if you take out the compost, toss it about and put it back in, you'll find the ants will move on to someone else's bin. It will also help heat up your compost and decompose faster.

[Grubbypaws]

Ants hate disturbance so if you take out the compost, toss it about and put it back in, you'll find the ants will move on to someone else's bin. It will also help heat up your compost and decompose faster.

I never put moss in my compost bin. It seems to form mats and never compost. I did it once and never again. The moss is about the only thing except for weeds that I put in my green dustbin.

[rachelsco]

last year i had loads of ants in my compost bin.  my  budding apples on my tree which is next to the compost, really suffered from them - i watched them running up and down it and i think they were farming aphids on the leaves and buds.  anyway i let them get on with it, thinking it would be ok.  it wasnt ok, and no apples last year.  this year though no ants and guess what the tree is loaded with apples

[lazza]

Well, I gave the contents a good going over at the weekend, and you're all quite right: it was dusty and dry in the middle! So 4 or 5 watering cans full of water added.... followed by a steady stream of desserting ants carrying their eggs!