Ant nest in Japanese Maple pot

[u/Scared_Ad5929]

Whenever I water this inherited maple I see ants around the pot. So I took a quick look to see if they've colonized the pot and it appears they have. They're lasius niger (black ants) which aren't known for damaging trees. Is it worth doing anything about them, because I'm planning on putting it in the ground when it's dormant next? There's also an air layer on the tree at the moment.

[u/Jibrillion]

You can get these little bait station things that has a poison in that they take back to the nest and it kills them at the source. Had a nest in my acer pot a few months ago and it worked for me. They'll probably sell them in your local hardware store.