By Peanuts
Surrey,
United Kingdom 
Serious Ant infestion! We have just noticed thousands of large black ants in our wooded area. There is a trail across the width of the garden and all the way down the side to an oak tree. We like our children to be able to play in the wooded area, and there is no way they can with the numbers of ants that are down there. Any advice on how to move them on to a new home... Keeping them not an option, happy children outweigh environment on this occasion. thanks.
26 Sep, 2013
Answers
They sound like wood ants and are great builders. Habitat loss has left them with fewer sites to build, so they're not common. Short of a very large shot of something noxious into the nest (which can house up to 500,000 individuals), there aren't many options left open to you. There will be a mounded nest somewhere nearby. Perhaps, as said above, a deterrent spray just might convince them your place isn't the best place to be.
28 Sep, 2013
Are you willing to try sprinkling down some effective Ant Powder. It doesn't kill them on the spot but they walk across it and take it back to their nest so they could be gone in a few hours or a day if the weather stays dry.
26 Sep, 2013