Ants!

I’ve got ants in my bin, how do I get them out?

Ants are one of many creatures that can colonize a compost bin. As with most of these creatures ants are harmless and are in fact beneficial for the heap. This is because they make tunnels which help to add air to the compost. They also add potassium and phosphorous to the mixture.   So generally the advice is to leave them alone as they are part of the miracle of nature that play a role in digesting your waste and making your compost.

If you do wish to remove the ants from the bin, disturb them as much as you can by turning the compost and they will normally just move on.  Ants generally prefer arid environs and so adding copious quantities of water will also encourage them to leave (the presence of ants could be an indicator that the heap is too dry). Adding onions should also discourage the ants away from the bin.