We are lucky in the UK to be risk free from creepy crawlies of the deadly kind. Nevertheless, insect invasions can still cause enough misery to ruin an otherwise perfect camping trip. Public enemy number one is the humble but determined ant and as we all know that where one ant is present, more will surely follow. This is especially true if they find a food source, so removing that temptation goes a long way to dealing with your ant problem.

Don't be tempted to annihilate your invaders. Apart from it being completely pointless you then fall under the category of human arrogance that destroys anything which inconveniences us and, if you want to be exact about it, bear in mind that it is actually you who is the invader here and not the ant.

What to do to Keep Ants at Bay

The most effective solutions are those that give the ant no reason to come calling and to use repellents as a back-up plan.

• Before even pitching your tent, scout the area for ants. Little mounds of soil with holes in are a dead give-away that an ant colony thrives just centimetres away. If you make camp directly on top of an ant's nest then be assured that for the duration of your trip a battle of wills between you and the ants will ensue. It is almost certain that the ants will win.

• Bag up all rubbish and food scraps and, as you are not going to be running to the waste disposal every five minutes, place the bags away from your immediate camp area. This doesn't mean putting it next to some-one else's camp however. As regularly as it is practical, take your rubbish bags to waste bins or disposal points in the camp site.

• If you are eating around your camp area be careful with crumbs which constitute a feast to an ant who will then go and invite his buddies to share his good fortune. The most innocuous of food particles will be like a beacon for the ants who will then take the liberty of having a further look around your camp to see what's on offer. Wherever possible eat a little away from your direct camp area.

• Keep all your food in airtight containers or in the case of opened cereals and the like you may get away with resealing the bags with a tightly bound elastic band but be aware that the smallest of gaps or holes will allow ingress to an ant.

• One of the most effective ways to keep ants at bay is to make a barrier around your camp with a repellent. Avoid chemicals and shop bought powders as they contain toxins which are bad news for the environment and you and are especially hazardous where pets or children are present. Rather more satisfying and surprisingly more effective is making your own ant repellent from natural, household ingredients. The easiest products to use are those that you can sprinkle on the ground in a continuous line, forming a physical barrier between you and the ants. The products listed below are for some reason detested by ants and they won't cross the line you have made. You will need to reapply your 'barricade' every few days at least and immediately if it rains. Household products you can use are Cayenne pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, mint, talcum powder, chalk, catnip (of the mint family) and coffee. I can personally vouch for the efficacy of at least three of these items. The rest you will have to test out for yourself. My favourite repellent is vinegar. This can be decanted into a spray bottle and sprayed onto the ground around the pitch and I've also used it to rub around seams or other parts of the tent where ants seem to be getting in. If you are concerned that your camp will smell, rest assured that the odour from vinegar dissipates very quickly.

You are now armed with the best possible means of resisting ant invasion but no method is foolproof. If all your efforts fail, just thank your lucky stars that you are not camping in a part of the world where fire ants, poisonous spiders and snakes may be your visitors – it may make you feel a little more kindly towards the annoying but almost harmless ant.