By Peanuts
Surrey,
United Kingdom 
Pigeons and ants ! We have a problem with pigeons, some days there are 8 out on the lawn eating the grass seed I've put down. I've just noticed that one has been hanging out in my lilac tree and has shredded a load of leaves. Anything I can do before it totally kills the tree ? Decoy owls do they work ?
Also our patio just seems to be one giant ants nest underneath it. I've tried ant powder so many times it has just stained the patio. Yesterday was obviously ant spring clean as all the empty ant eggs appeared overnight, thousands. Any ideas how to get rid of them?
17 Jul, 2013
Answers
At least you have plenty of wildlife in your garden....! :)
You could get a cat to deter the pigeons....
ants don't do any harm if they're outside the house, just leave them to it and enjoy watching their activities, they can be fascinating to watch.
17 Jul, 2013
i find the 'sugar ' ant killer to be more effective and it doesnt leave a mess behind. on the patio they can excavate the soil enough to dislodge/de-stabalise paving stones.
18 Jul, 2013
And if thery are red ants their bite is very painful
You could net your grass seed, like a little tent. But I love to hear rge doves and pigeons.......and the blackbirds.......these warm summer nights
18 Jul, 2013
I'd net the grass, hang deterrent things up, or, as people do with cats, a clear plastic bottle full of water laid nearby is 'not to be trusted' in a pigeon's eyes, and it might work for a while
18 Jul, 2013
Have a look at this you tube video these look good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjF6lc6rCZA
18 Jul, 2013
Ants hate wet conditions keep watering your patio.
18 Jul, 2013
Great thanks for the feedback. Do you think my lilac will be okay with the leaves that have been stripped ?
18 Jul, 2013
I think that's a wait and see job - if its a young lilac just keep it watered and hope it shoots again.
18 Jul, 2013
Peanuts, we had the same trouble here. A young lilac tree all broken down 2 years ago by pigeons who like the young emerging leaves.It looked odd, but the next year looked better, and now looks fine, the deterrent we used [which worked] was to hang cd's up in the tree, you drill a hole in them [cd's you don't want any more!] then hang them so they turn in the wind.They 'flash' as they turn in the breeze. Or you could buy wind spinners and hang them in the shrub?We have so many ants here, they nest under the patio and in the lawn and garden, but we put ant powder down on the patio and leave the rest. it does work, but they move somewhere else! Usually further up the patio [sigh.]
19 Jul, 2013
Wish I knew. They are all under ours too, and the other paths as well. All I can do is keep them out of the house - but they never seem to do any harm.
Pigeons can be a pain but I've never seen any suggestions except shooting them...
17 Jul, 2013