Question About Ants

[Sonzor]

We have lots and lots of ants out here and was wondering. Are they harmful to the plant and roots? I have one plant that has a huge colony of ants living under the plant. And when I say huge I mean 100's of 1000's of ants. They have started to move up the plant and into the buds. Not sure if they are eating the buds or the roots but the plant has not been doing very well and have tried it all to fix the issue. But now I am thinking it might have been the ants all along.

Any help and information would be greatly appreciated...

 

[FreakNature]

Ants are no good for nothing. I have a patch of lawn along my driveway that's dead because ants have colonized below. I don't know if they eat the roots or take the moisture the grass needs.

Even it they aren't harming your plant at the roots, if they're going up the stem to the buds they could be carrying other pests or diseases. If you see little dark flying insects that morph into fat little red or green suckers on your plants, the ants may be harboring aphids, which they milk for the honeydew that the aphids exude at the expense of your plant.

Diatomaceous earth will kill ants. You can spread it over the soil and put it in your drip tray (if indoors), or disturb the soil so the ants go nuts and coat them in it, but I wouldn't put it on sticky leaves or buds. It's the fine skeletons of microscopic critters from the sea, don't want to inhale it but it isn't toxic. You can get it at some garden centers.

 

[Sonzor]

Ants are no good for nothing. I have a patch of lawn along my driveway that's dead because ants have colonized below. I don't know if they eat the roots or take the moisture the grass needs.

Even it they aren't harming your plant at the roots, if they're going up the stem to the buds they could be carrying other pests or diseases. If you see little dark flying insects that morph into fat little red or green suckers on your plants, the ants may be harboring aphids, which they milk for the honeydew that the aphids exude at the expense of your plant.

Diatomaceous earth will kill ants. You can spread it over the soil and put it in your drip tray (if indoors), or disturb the soil so the ants go nuts and coat them in it, but I wouldn't put it on sticky leaves or buds. It's the fine skeletons of microscopic critters from the sea, don't want to inhale it but it isn't toxic. You can get it at some garden centers.

Thanks you so much for all the great information...+rep

 

[Weed420]

Put out a bowl of molasses. They love molassess and get stuck in it and die.

 

[Retired Three]

I bet you could have loads of fun with a few of them sticky mouse traps. I caught a load of pesky spiders in my basement with a few of them.

maybe put a little molasses in the middle of the sticky traps.

 

[JustAddWateR]

Oh great intel about the afids & ants, that totally slipped my mind until reading FN's post. +rep for that.


Where we used to live a few years ago, my wife had problems with ants getting into the planters. She used a small kiddy pool and put about an inch of water in the pool. Then placed the planter in the pool, using the plant's tray to keep the planter it's self out of the water. So the planter isn't just sitting in the water, and getting over watered. Anyways, it takes about a week or so, but all the ants inside the planter are trapped, and eventually die off.

Put tanglefoot at the base of the plant, just above the soil. Any ants crawling up, will get stuck, and any ants crawling down, will get stuck. You may have to keep scraping (gingerly) the dead ants, and keep reaplying the tanglefoot. Those varmens will DIE!

If there are any other pests, such as aphids, treat accordingly how you would kill them. (advid, neem oil, etc. would also vary on how far in bloom you're in as well)

Good luck!

 

[Sonzor]

Put out a bowl of molasses. They love molassess and get stuck in it and die.

Thanks so much I will try that for sure

I bet you could have loads of fun with a few of them sticky mouse traps. I caught a load of pesky spiders in my basement with a few of them.

maybe put a little molasses in the middle of the sticky traps.

That also sounds like a great idea. Thanks

Oh great intel about the afids & ants, that totally slipped my mind until reading FN's post. +rep for that.


Where we used to live a few years ago, my wife had problems with ants getting into the planters. She used a small kiddy pool and put about an inch of water in the pool. Then placed the planter in the pool, using the plant's tray to keep the planter it's self out of the water. So the planter isn't just sitting in the water, and getting over watered. Anyways, it takes about a week or so, but all the ants inside the planter are trapped, and eventually die off.

Put tanglefoot at the base of the plant, just above the soil. Any ants crawling up, will get stuck, and any ants crawling down, will get stuck. You may have to keep scraping (gingerly) the dead ants, and keep reaplying the tanglefoot. Those varmens will DIE!

If there are any other pests, such as aphids, treat accordingly how you would kill them. (advid, neem oil, etc. would also vary on how far in bloom you're in as well)

Good luck!

I will have to do a search a tanglefoot cause I have no idea what it is. The pool idea sounds like a great one but since my plants are in the ground it would not work well for me but I will keep it in mind for sure for my potted plants. Thanks so much for all the great ideas..

 

[JustAddWateR]

I will have to do a search a tanglefoot cause I have no idea what it is. The pool idea sounds like a great one but since my plants are in the ground it would not work well for me but I will keep it in mind for sure for my potted plants. Thanks so much for all the great ideas..

Tanglefoot is the sticky stuff that comes on a fly strip, but in a jar
It's non-toxic to the plant, and doesn't hurt them at all. I use it on clones that I get from other people, incase they have mites, and spray with loads of avid, and keep seperate for a week or until I feel secure to put them with the others in veg.

I didn't pay attention to your girls in the ground, my mistake. It is good to keep in mind for the furture tho.

 

[Sonzor]

Tanglefoot is the sticky stuff that comes on a fly strip, but in a jar
It's non-toxic to the plant, and doesn't hurt them at all. I use it on clones that I get from other people, incase they have mites, and spray with loads of avid, and keep seperate for a week or until I feel secure to put them with the others in veg.

I didn't pay attention to your girls in the ground, my mistake. It is good to keep in mind for the furture tho.

Perfect thanks again..