Will ants hibernate in my raised boxes?

I have read over many of the conversations regarding ants in SFG.  I can't seem to find the answers to my questions.  I have four raised 4'x4' boxes and this year, due to so much rain early on, an unbelievable amount of small brown ants took over the boxes and were all over my vegetable plants and yes, the aphids were also close by.  My questions are, I have cleaned out my boxes for the Fall and when I did, the ants scattered under the soil. Will they hibernate there over winter and if yes, can I mix something into the soil now to rid my boxes of them. Secondly, what can I do next spring to prevent this from happening again.  I have read neem oil and diatomaceous are suggested for ant problems but not sure how to use it in my particular case. I don't have a problem with a few ants in my garden but this was an infestation. Thanks for any advice you have.

It's a good question and I feel like we've covered it before somewhere but can't remember where.  If it were my box I would sprinkle fine corn meal all around outside the box and on top of the MM.  The ants will take it home and eat it.  Then the grits blow up and they die.

CC

In the past, I've used beneficial nematodes to manage outdoor infestations of fleas, crickets, and ants - other organic control methods I tried didn't put a dent in the problem.  Though none of the pests were completely eradicated by the nematodes, their numbers were reduced to tolerable levels.  If I were in your shoes, I'd start with two rounds of treatment, one now and another when ants are active again in the spring. It takes time for the nematodes to work, so several applications may be needed throughout the year to best manage a serious infestation.

To get my gardens off to a good start next year, I intend to apply a "combo pack" of the nematodes as soon as the soil thaws, to kill off ants, larve, and other pests which have over-wintered and are just waiting to attack my seedlings.

Here's a link to the website I use:
http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/beneficial-nematodes

Whatever method(s) you employ, I wish you well with the effort!