You're doubling the number of ants in your garden by falling for this pest deterrent mistake, warn experts

If you thought destroying an ant's nest in your garden was the swiftest and most direct route to rid your garden of ants, according to pest experts, you could actually be making the problem worse.

If your garden has been overrun this summer, it’s only natural that you want to know how to get rid of ants. But, a little like cutting off the head of a hydra, when you remove one ant's nest, another will crop up in its place.

So, before you go ahead and destroy a nest, this is everything the experts want you to know first.

Does destroying an ant's nest make the problem worse?

The main reason ants will move into the site of an old nest is because they are highly territorial, and if the area has the perfect homebuilding conditions and food supplies, it’s incredibly attractive for ants.

'Destroying a nest without killing the queen achieves very little in the long term. Worker ants will regroup, the queen will relocate, and a new nest will be established nearby, often within days. In some cases, disrupting a large established colony can cause it to split into multiple satellite nests, which means you can end up with more ant activity across a wider area than you started with. This is one of the most common mistakes people make when dealing with garden ants,’ explains Mosh Latifi, co-owner of EcoCare Pest Management.

‘If the original colony has been properly eliminated, the territory will not go unclaimed for long. Ant colonies are highly territorial, but if a space becomes available, neighbouring colonies will expand into it. In a garden with good foraging conditions, some level of ant presence is essentially inevitable. The goal is management rather than eradication.’

While you can use scents to deter ants or use natural methods like diatomaceous earth to keep them away from your home, remember that ants are a natural part of any garden ecosystem and therefore don’t necessarily need removing.

‘Ants are a natural part of the garden ecosystem and, in many cases, don't require control unless they are becoming a nuisance or contributing to problems elsewhere, such as repeatedly entering the home. Before considering treatment, it's worth assessing whether the ants are actually causing an issue. If they are, the focus should be on locating and treating the source of the colony rather than only dealing with the ants that are visible,’ says Daniel Steward, Managing Director at Shield Pest Control.

‘The most effective long-term approach is to identify and deal with the nest itself while also removing whatever is attracting the ants to the area. Natural deterrents such as peppermint oil, tea tree oil or diluted white vinegar can help disrupt pheromone trails and discourage ants from returning to treated areas, although they require regular reapplication and are not permanent solutions.

‘Nematodes are sometimes suggested as a biological control method, but their effectiveness can vary depending on the ant species and environmental conditions. For established infestations, targeted treatment of the colony is generally more reliable than relying on nematodes alone.’

Unless they're genuinely causing problems in your home, ants don't need to be removed from a garden. If you do find yourself with a pest problem, it's best to consult the professionals first.