About this product
This treatment does not kill ants. It persuades them to leave. Steinernema feltiae is a microscopic beneficial nematode that occurs naturally in healthy soil, and ants find its presence in the nest intolerable. Within days of application the colony begins to move, and within a fortnight an established nest is usually abandoned altogether.
That distinction is the whole point of it. If you want a particular area clear, a vegetable bed, a patio, a path being lifted by the colony underneath it, this does the job without ant powders, sprays or boiling water, all of which kill indiscriminately and take the rest of the soil life with them. It works on all three common UK garden ants: black, red and yellow.
Apply between April and September, when soil stays above 10°C even overnight and ant activity is visible above ground. Too cold and the nematodes are inactive, so late autumn, winter and early spring are wasted applications. Treat at the first sign of activity rather than waiting for the colony to establish for the season.
Water the area first, because the soil must be moist before you start rather than after. Mix the pack with cool water in a watering can, use a coarse rose or take the rose off entirely for fast flow, apply evenly, then water in well. Keep the soil moist for at least two weeks afterwards. This is the part people skip and it is the single most common reason the treatment fails. In dry weather, water lightly every few days. Apply in the late afternoon or evening so the nematodes are not sitting in direct sun.
The treated lawn is safe to walk on immediately. It is safe around children, pets, birds, hedgehogs, bees and edible crops, and safe near ponds provided you do not apply it directly to water.
Refrigerate the pack as soon as it arrives and use it within two to three weeks. The fridge keeps the nematodes dormant. Freezing kills them, and so does a warm windowsill or a hot car. Live products cannot be returned, so order when you are ready to apply within a few days.