Ants

[Stefano1]

Hey, i have noticed ants and smetimes i see alot sometimesi see occasional ones running across my Neps,.. my N raff which was hanging outside on the Ficus tree,.. well, alot of times the new pitchers seemed "eaten" becuase it was broken and stuff on some parts of the plant, the same things happening with my Ventrosica, it was producing real nice 3-5" pitchers ,.. but now it has shrunken, .. and i see ants everywhere on it, the pitchers have caughten alot but i wish all those #### things would die,,..... well anyway, does anyone know what kind of ant killer i can use to spray around or on my plants to get rid of them with out harming my plants?

THanks
Stephan

 

[schloaty]

Hmmm...ants could be indicative of aphids. Aphids are a more likely candidate for causing poor plant health that ants are. I would check very carefully for sap-sucking parasites. Ants, unless they're leave cutter ants (which only live in the tropics), usually don't chew up plants. Some ants do, however, farm aphids for their nectar secretions (just like we farm cows for milk).

 

[Glenn]

I say let your plants kill your ants unless Schloaty is right about the aphids.

If you must kill them try mixing Borax with powdered sugar and putting it where they can get to it. The sugar will make them think it's food and they will carry it back to the nest and poisen everyone.

Please use this as a last resort!

 

[Travis]

Nature always wins! No matter what you do ants will never die off. You can temporarily keep them away but they always come back. I was in California with my new brother in-law and we both killed thousands of army ants. We must have been out for 2 hours that night waging war on them. It was sooooo gratifying to see so many die!

If they are not harming your plants I would just let the plants take care of them. If they are eating your plants I would check for aphids and use the Borax as Glenn said with sugar.

Travis

 

[Dyflam]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Travis @ Aug. 05 2003,11:49)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I was in California with my new brother in-law and we both killed thousands of army ants.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I don't think army ants are indigenous to California.

Army ant info.

 

[mcrwt644]

that is a great combo idea for ants, borax and sugar...I'll have to try it in n. va, thanks!!

 

[PlantAKiss]

Borax is boric acid...also sold (for a higher price) as Roach Pruf. You may find generic boric acid sold for a better price at the drug store instead of the brand names.

It is HIGHLY effectly on ants and roaches because of the fact that it sticks to them and they carry it back to their homes where it is spread (something a spray can't do). My understanding is it screws up their "electrical" system and kills them. I have used the little black ant disks and they worked well for me --I'm sure they contained boric acid. After a few days, I never saw another one.

If you use loose boric acid for roach/ant control, make sure you blow it (which like a mustard/ketchup squirter) UNDER things like refrigerators and inside cabinets. Do not have it in the open area when pets and kids can get into it as it's poisonous. It also is not effective once it gets wet as it clumps. Static electricity makes the dry granuals stick.

Ok...that my roach killing lore.

Suzanne