Although it is best to try and tolerate ants outdoors as part of the environment (they are useful at controlling cockroaches, fleas and flies), sometimes they try to invade your pots and indoor areas. They are also an important part of the natural processes of soil aeration and organic matter breakdown. Management programs should aim to keep them out of the house without eliminating them from all other environments. Here are some helpful tips to keeping them at bay.

-Store food and kitchen compost in well sealed containers.

-Flood invaded pots with water by putting the entire pot into a bucket of water for 30 minutes. Keep your soil moist to prevent them returning.

-Use horticultural glues around tree trunks to aid the control of aphids, scale and mealy bugs. Ants will defend these pests from attack to maintain their supply of honey dew.

- Use boric acid based ant products and wipe ant trails with pennyroyal or eucalyptus oil.