The heatwave may have brought armies of ants and wasps into your home

The heatwave may have brought armies of ants and wasps into your home.

But whatever you do, don’t kill them, says wildlife expert Chris Packham.

A bowl of sugar left outside would keep ants from going indoors, he said, adding that chemical sprays or powders should be avoided.

While the UK pest control market is worth more than £400million, the Springwatch presenter, pictured, says people ‘can’t pick and choose’ which animals to protect.

He said: ‘A supply of food can train ants to go anywhere you like – they are ants. Ants are as important a part of your garden as the blue tits on the feeder.’

Speaking about an insect invasion in his home, he added: ‘I had some cleaners come round but said not to do anything with those ants because they are not doing anything problematic – they just want some shelter.’

And despite the threat of a nasty sting to visitors, the broadcaster is happily living with a wasp nest just outside his kitchen door.

He says he will simply put up a device to divert them away from the house. Mr Packham, who lives in the New Forest, explained: ‘For everyone walking in and out, the wasps are kind of attacking us.

‘But I plan to put a cardboard baffle up to change their flight path and then they won’t be right in front of the door.’

He was speaking after backing Big Bugs on Tour, which will see 12 giant British insect sculptures installed in Intu shopping centres around the UK as part of a wildlife education campaign.

The tour follows research showing that children are better at identifying Pokemon characters than wildlife.