Summer has finally arrived and shrubs, trees and herbaceous perennials are coming into peak attractiveness. This spate of hot weather determines that we keep an eye on hanging baskets in particular, which can often need watering twice a day especially when we have a combination of sun and wind. Remember also to give them a liquid feed once a week and deadhead faded blooms to encourage plenty of new flowers.

Unfortunately July is also the month that heralds an onslaught of ants. Colonies of ants have existed for more than 10 million years and world-wide there are 60,000 identified species! In Britain however the most common species found outdoors are Lasius niger (the common black ant) and Lasius Brunneus (the brown ant). Although the common ant does not harm plants directly, the burrowing of nests and the production of hillocks of excavated soil can loosen plant roots and make a mess of lawns and patio paving.

Their diet is fairly varied eating small flies and other insects and they also collect nectar and seeds from plants. They also tend to aphids feeding off their sugary excretions which are produced in abundance when caressed. Its not unknown for ants to carry aphids to uninfested plants to supply them with ample food! This search for food often takes ants indoors where they'll feed off sugars, starches, fats and any available grains, which is often the reason for finding them running around in the kitchen. This month is the usual time for ant invasions as workers hatch from the pupae stage and are on the look-out for food for the growing colony. In a few weeks time, usually in August, the sexual forms of the ants are produced in large numbers. These emerge on a single day, swarm and fly off if they are lucky enough to escape from marauding birds! After mating the males die and only a few females survive to form new colonies. You may have seen plenty of ant activity already during the warm weather so we can expect a plague of ants this summer.

There are several ways to kill ants. Outdoors use a powder along the runs and in the entrance to the nest to ensure that the powder is distributed back into the nest by the worker ants. Choose a dry day so that the powder remains active while the ants move in and out of the nest. In the evening you can then water the powder into the nest entrance to get the active ingredient well into the chambers. An added benefit is that some powders will also put paid to other creepy crawlies such as earwigs, silverfish, cockroaches and other insect pests. However if you prefer not to use a powder treat with a ready to use ant spray which is invisible when dry and therefore ideal for kitchens. Treated hard surfaces such as floors and painted woodwork remain lethal to ants even though they are not directly sprayed with the solution. Spray too around door frames, window sills and along the base of the outdoor walls.

If powder and sprays don't appeal to you use a bait that ants will carry back to the nest to eventually kill the colony. Place the ant trap near the run and where ants are attracted to the bait through a tiny opening. Here they will collect and carry the bait back as food for the colony and can give control for up to 4 weeks. Bear in mind that ant preparations will not kill off a colony in one fell swoop so repeat treatment will be necessary. Do ensure that you read the labels, follow the manufacturer's instructions and use pesticides safely. Acting at the first sign of trouble will save you time, effort and unsightly damage in the long run allowing you more precious time to enjoy and relax in your garden.