Do you have ants in your pants?

Three years ago I moved in to my dream home, I still love it just as much now but there's one tiny problem: ants! It seems that at this time of year when the weather gets warmer, ants like to move in.

In the past they haven't really been a problem. They would only loiter aimlessly by the front and back doors, but this year they've discovered the kitchen and they're having a party.

Each morning as I sleepily reach into the cupboard for that much needed coffee whilst battling two young children equally frantic for their morning milk, I find a whole gang  of ants inside desperately trying to get at my agave syrup. Enough is enough.

For me the problem with getting rid of the ants is that I can't use any nasty pesticides and chemicals because I have two young children running around, and also at the risk of sounding very airy fairy I don't want to kill harmless creatures for no other reason than they slightly annoy me. Even if they're just ants.

After all, finding ants in your home is not like having a mice infestation, ants won't keep you up all night with their scurrying, they won't chew all your cables and floor boards, in fact they won't cause any damage. Unless they get into your agave syrup.

How to get rid of ants in your home?

Depending on how far you want to go, whether you want a full annihilation or just want to urge a very firm "go away" vibe, ants can be gotten rid of quite simply with little or no cost.

At this point I should point out that it is not advised to destroy an ant's nest as they do play an important part in nature and it's fair to say nature is going through a tough time right now. In gardens they play many important roles such as aerating the soils alongside worms and helping to transport nutrients. 

The first step of dealing with an any invasion is to make sure your kitchen is as clean as can be. The kitchen is where all pests will flock to so take care to never leave out any food, including crumbs, and that all your kitchen surfaces and cupboards are clean. This is particularly important as when ants invade, they first send out scout ants who if successful at finding food sources, will go back to their nest and tell all their ant friends. They will then leave a chemical trail in your home which allow all ants to find the food.

Next, try to find out where their entry point into your home is. This can be very tricky and time consuming to locate but if you do find it you can simply spritz the area with soapy water. This will repel the ants and disrupt their chemical trail making it hard for them to find the food source. Other easy to find and non-toxic deterrents include glue, Vaseline (petroleum jelly) and Blue tack which can be used to also block up entry points.

In problems areas the following non-toxic ingredients can be used to ward off ants and discourage them from coming into your home

• A vinegar/lemon juice water based solution- most effective when used as a spray
• cinnamon powder
• chilli pepper
• turmeric
• natural oils such as; lavender oil, clove oil, mint oil

If all of these methods fail you'll be pleased to know that ants are at their most active only during April -October in Uk and that soon enough they will leave of their own accord...until next summer.