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ants in my plants


OB Burt

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I have had a huge surge in the ant population on my property this year. Besides making it into the house they are pretty much everywhere including in my potted palms. And of course the ants seem to work in tandem with other pests. I'm curious as to what others do for this problem. What is effective but not over the top toxic. Beating them with an iron skillet is satisfying but obviously not the answer. Thanks to anyone who can make a suggestion

burt repine

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I've heard good things about the liquid Terro baits, for them to take it back and kill the whole colony.

Termidor is the most effective, but it's also the most dangerous. Neonictinoids, like Termidor's active ingredient Fipronil, have been linked to the colony colapse disorder in honey bees. It'll probably be outlawed soon. If you do use it, make sure and only spray ant trails on the ground and far away from foliage and especially away from flowering plants/trees where bees might be foraging and the ants can carry the poison up the tree and kill the bees. Ant's can't detect termidor and it doesn't kill them right away, which is why it's so effective, because they carry it back to the nest killing everyone. I wouldn't recommend spraying any other ant poison because short of killing the whole colony you're only triggering them to reproduce and multiply.

I use food grade Diatomaceous Earth on my vegetable garden and it works great. If you sprinkle it around your potted plants I bet that would work. 100% non-toxic. Heck, people eat the stuff as a dietary additive. Food grade, not pool filter stuff.

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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Burt, I suspect that the ants you're now seeing have been around all along. California is one, giant anthill from the mountains to the sea.

Control is, at best, an illusion, though Matt's suggestions help when you're temporarily overrun with them. There's no sense in using poison when it won't poison the ants as well as other things you don't want to poison.

Most ants send out columns of workers looking for food, and, when they find some, send more workers to come and get it. That's why you'll see lines of ants walking around your garden or even in your house for seemingly no reason, which then swarm around something they like and take it home with them to eat.

My experience is that the best thing to do is nothing. If there's nothing for them to eat, they'll go away, and come looking again. But if they don't find anything, they won't stay. Sometimes you can find a particular colony, and annihilate it, but my experience is that's often easier said than done.

I tend to leave food around in my kitchen sometimes, and if the ants find it they have a fine old time. When that happens, I brush them off, toss the food where needed, and clean up. The ants go away.

The big exception is the Red Imported Fire Ant, which has been found in California, but which, as far as I know, isn't the scourge it was feared to be. (Feel a thread comin . . . )

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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how much does one of these cost?

post-126-0-59460300-1353017017_thumb.jpg

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Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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I like the anteater! Along the same line, it's a shame my middle child (now 20 and in school near you at Harvey Mudd) has given up her original career path. In elementary school when all the other kids aspired to be doctors or astronauts, she aimed to rent out a group of armadillos for ant removal. I'll let you know if she opts out of "the school with the most homework in the nation" and goes back to her earlier business plan.

Oh, I've battled ants off and on in my greenhouse with their friends such as mealybugs and aphids. This exact time of year is always the hardest for me. I've had some luck with keeping Dawn detergent and an old mixing bowl handy. When I see a colony erupt upon watering a newly returned to the greenhouse plant, I quickly squirt some Dawn on top of the dirt and set the bowl underneath the pot. Then I water more so that suds form. The ants are killed quickly and I let the pot sit in the sudsy water for a few minutes and then pour the zillions of dead ants down the drain. I do then fush with straight water and do not put Dawn anywhere else on the plant. So far no plants seem to have been harmed.I've also very carefully used small shallow containers of Amdro granules which contain a noxious chemical in bait that the ants carry back to the queen. I only use Amdro short term in my greenhouse where there are no mammals, but me, and away from where water will splash, but near any ant trails. I don't currently have any plants destined for food in this greenhouse either.

Good luck to you. Bad luck to the invading ants.

Cindy Adair

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I use boric acid with reasonable results.....

John Case

Brentwood CA

Owner and curator of Hana Keu Garden

USDA Zone 9b more or less, Sunset Zone 14 in winter 9 in summer

"Its always exciting the first time you save the world. Its a real thrill!"

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I usually use the Terro liquid ant baits and Combat ant killing gel, depending on the situation. I'm constantly battling odorous house ants, which form many satellite colonies and can have multiple queens in one colony. They will take up residence in potted plants, but don't need soil to feel comfortable. They are quite content to settle down in just about any dark hollow they can find. These guys are tough to get rid of, and shortly after they're gone, their relatives move in. Control is somewhat possible, but you will never be ant-free.

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a
hardiestpalms.com

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I was wondering about this just yesterday. Scale and mealy bug seem to establish on young plants within weeks of being planted. Im trying to keep it organic but sometimes its tempting to reach for the pesticides...

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Doing nothing would not be very wise. The ants will overrun the interior of your house. You should spray the border of your property every 2 - 4 wks during the summer months because if you don't your neighbor's evicted ants will be yours. You should also spray around your house border. Inside your house, do not leave any food on the counter or table. Any sweet stuff should be tightly sealed. This should keep the ants a bay during the summer months. Be very vigilant by checking your house border every week. Check to see if any ant highway are entering your house and wipe them out.

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Thanks for all of the suggestions. Palm peoples helpfullness is what makes this a great forum. I think I'm going to start with Bepahs' idea of using boric acid. From what I can tell it is one of the least toxic solutions. Many years back when we had an issue with cockroaches we sprinkled a little bit in the corners of drawers in the kitchen and the problem disappeared. The infestation in the house was troublesome, but really my great concern was and is what was happening to my plants and the secondary pests the ants were the enablers for. My wife of course had a different perspective though she does claim to love the palms. And as others have said, ants are with us for the long haul, please, someone name me an ant species on the endangered species list. Elimination is not an objective, a coexistence on my terms is what I am hoping for.

burt repine

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Gonzer, how do you get the ants to hold still long enough to inject them??? I like my idea of the frying pan better.

burt repine

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...please, someone name me an ant species on the endangered species list.

Some Endangered Species List ants:

Formica candida - Black bog ant

Formica exsecta - Narrow-headed ant

Formica pratensis - Black-backed meadow ant

Formica rufibarbis - Red-barbed ant

(You asked. :))

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a
hardiestpalms.com

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...please, someone name me an ant species on the endangered species list.

Some Endangered Species List ants:

Formica candida - Black bog ant

Formica exsecta - Narrow-headed ant

Formica pratensis - Black-backed meadow ant

Formica rufibarbis - Red-barbed ant

(You asked. :))

Believe me, any ant in my house is an endangered species - gmp

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Hi Burt; Are your pest ants the non-native, tiny argentine ants?

I had good results with a boric acid sweet mix, (no peanut butter protein)

Purchase the boric acid powder at the big box pharmacy. It's cheap, and one container will make a huge amount of baited sugar water. The proportion of boric acid to sugar water is important. Too weak , it won't kill anything; if you make it too strong it will kill the foragers before they can get back to the queen and deliver the poisoned food to her.

We've found the following mixture to be about right: 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons boric acid. Make any amount but use the same ratio.

Patience is required. It may be a few days before the foragers transfer enough bait back to the colony before you notice a decrease in ant traffic. This bait is effective and has a very low risk for non-target organisms.

I also use the boric acid powder on my Howea palms, but only a 'Tiny' amount, 0.25 teaspoonful twice per year to prevent leaning crown disease. I mix the boric acid into a cup of dolomite in order to spread it more uniformly about the drip line of the palm.

  • Like 3

San Francisco, California

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Hi Burt; Are your pest ants the non-native, tiny argentine ants?

I had good results with a boric acid sweet mix, (no peanut butter protein)

Purchase the boric acid powder at the big box pharmacy. It's cheap, and one container will make a huge amount of baited sugar water. The proportion of boric acid to sugar water is important. Too weak , it won't kill anything; if you make it too strong it will kill the foragers before they can get back to the queen and deliver the poisoned food to her.

We've found the following mixture to be about right: 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons boric acid. Make any amount but use the same ratio.

Patience is required. It may be a few days before the foragers transfer enough bait back to the colony before you notice a decrease in ant traffic. This bait is effective and has a very low risk for non-target organisms.

I also use the boric acid powder on my Howea palms, but only a 'Tiny' amount, 0.25 teaspoonful twice per year to prevent leaning crown disease. I mix the boric acid into a cup of dolomite in order to spread it more uniformly about the drip line of the palm.

Darold, I like this!

So, diabolical . . .

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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There is a product call seven that works very well, you can find it at any big box store

Aloha!

 

Always looking for "Palms of Paradise"

 

Cardiff by the Sea 10b 1/2

1/2 mile from the Blue Pacific

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There is a product call seven that works very well, you can find it at any big box store

sEVIN

Sorry

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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  • 8 years later...
On 11/18/2012 at 10:34 AM, Darold Petty said:

Purchase the boric acid powder at the big box pharmacy. It's cheap, and one container will make a huge amount of baited sugar water. The proportion of boric acid to sugar water is important. Too weak , it won't kill anything; if you make it too strong it will kill the foragers before they can get back to the queen and deliver the poisoned food to her.

We've found the following mixture to be about right: 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons boric acid. Make any amount but use the same ratio.

 

I've recently found ants nesting colony in a nursery pot of my new Chamaerops palm. I didn't pay attention to it when I was buying this palm. I don't know if ants actually do any harm to Chamaerops roots but just to be on the safe side I tried this mixture and it seems to be working fine. There is a noticeable decrease in ants trafic after five days. Thanks a lot

IMG_20210605_234408.jpg

IMG_20210607_224724.jpg

Edited by MSX
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On 11/16/2012 at 5:17 AM, NApalm said:

I was wondering about this just yesterday. Scale and mealy bug seem to establish on young plants within weeks of being planted. Im trying to keep it organic but sometimes its tempting to reach for the pesticides...

Merit 2F is a good systematic if you get to that point. It's pretty heavy as far as "artillery" goes...

Oakley, California

55 Miles E-NE of San Francisco, CA

Solid zone 9, I can expect at least one night in the mid to low twenties every year.

Hot, dry summers. Cold, wet winters.

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