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#1
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[IBC] ant infestation
I have several fig trees in a hot house. Unfortunately several
trees have been infested with ants. The little blighters are in the soil in the pot and crawling into crevices in the folds of the branches. I've tried immersing the pots in water, spraying insect spray but to no avail. They just run up out of the soil carrying their eggs and I can kill lots of them with the spray but they back a week later just as bad. trees are healthy though. Sprays are no good with ants. They kill the ants they contact, but there always are more. First, be certain there are no aphids or other sucking insects that produce "honeydew" if there are, the ants will _always_ be back. Next, find an "ant bait" in granular form. Most nurseries should carry one of more brands. I can't recommend a brand or type because I don't know what is registered for use by your government. But there's bound to be one. Ants take these baits inside the nest (which also may be somewhere other than just in your pots) and feed it to the queen. It may take a couple of doses over a 2-week period. Follow label directions, and don't overdo because you sprinkle this stuff on the soil and it will exist in relatively high concentration there (in the pot); more so than spreading it on open land. Third, remember . . . the ants aren't hurting your trees. Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry David Thoreau - Walden ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
#2
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[IBC] ant infestation
Hi Jim,
Third, remember . . . the ants aren't hurting your trees. That's funny i always thought that ants would cut leaves, take them to the nest. The ants would then feed these leaves to insects that produce, as an offset of their eating the leaves, an element that is eaten by ants. Come to think of it, if i remember well they use the leaves to nurish a certain type of fungus. Although i'm not to sure if this applies to all ants species, from the far reaches of my mind it seams to me that only a specific "leaf cutting ant" does this. For some reason i have this "parasol" or para something in my mind. My penny to the thread, Cedric -- Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG |
#3
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[IBC] ant infestation
Hi Jim,
Third, remember . . . the ants aren't hurting your trees. That's funny i always thought that ants would cut leaves, take them to the nest. The ants would then feed these leaves to insects that produce, as an offset of their eating the leaves, an element that is eaten by ants. Come to think of it, if i remember well they use the leaves to nurish a certain type of fungus. Although i'm not to sure if this applies to all ants species, from the far reaches of my mind it seams to me that only a specific "leaf cutting ant" does this. For some reason i have this "parasol" or para something in my mind. The various common yard ants don't damage plants. Even fire ants, the exotic scourge of the SE US don't damage plants. Leaf cutter ants (and there are several species, and a couple of genera) are more likely to be found in wooded and damp areas, not in pots. A few species, including Atta texana, which is found in Texas and Louisiana, are in the southern US, but most of the others, including the second Genus (Acromyrex sp.) are tropical. Their nests are VERY large (I recall a reference to 20 feet), so you'll not find them in bonsai pots. They used to be a major southern US agricultural pest (citrus, etc.), but seem to be chemically controlled, these days. I don't know how big a problem they are in the tropics. Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry David Thoreau - Walden ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
#4
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[IBC] ant infestation
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lewis" Subject: [IBC] ant infestation Hi Jim, Third, remember . . . the ants aren't hurting your trees. That's funny i always thought that ants would cut leaves, take them to the nest. Guys, Please note the "ant stuff" in the gallery under Wolfgangs pictures titled "The SNAKE, a Larix" or something like that. I've always bit my tongue at "ants in the soil are eating my bonsai" questions. After 25 years I can say it's mostly "Urban Legend". Now, termites, or ants in already dead portions are another story. OK, bring it on!! Dale ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
#5
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[IBC] ant infestation
Guys,
Please note the "ant stuff" in the gallery under Wolfgangs pictures titled "The SNAKE, a Larix" or something like that. I've always bit my tongue at "ants in the soil are eating my bonsai" questions. After 25 years I can say it's mostly "Urban Legend". Now, termites, or ants in already dead portions are another story. OK, bring it on!! Dale Dale True BUT, ants could be a sign of aphids which do hurt your trees so look for aphids and get rid of them and your ants will most likely pack up and LEAVE (No pun intended)! Len PLEASE NOTE MY NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS: http://www.bonsairi.com http://www.rhodeislandbonsaisociety.org ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
#6
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[IBC] ant infestation
----- Original Message -----
From: "Len Arzoomanian (BonsaiRI)" Subject: [IBC] ant infestation Guys, Please note the "ant stuff" in the gallery under Wolfgangs pictures titled "The SNAKE, a Larix" or something like that. I've always bit my tongue at "ants in the soil are eating my bonsai" questions. After 25 years I can say it's mostly "Urban Legend". Now, termites, or ants in already dead portions are another story. OK, bring it on!! Dale Dale True BUT, ants could be a sign of aphids which do hurt your trees so look for aphids and get rid of them and your ants will most likely pack up and LEAVE (No pun intended)! Len Len, Well most people know the "honey dew" story, ants harvesting aphids, etc. but, the second part isn't exactly true. I've had many ant "farms" in pots/collection boxes without aphids ( as in Wolfgangs "Larix" posts in gallery). Because you have ants, doesn't mean you have aphids...and vice versa! Regards, Dale Cochoy, Wild Things Bonsai Studio, Hartville, Ohio http://www.WildThingsBonsai.Com Specializing in power wood carving tools. Yakimono no Kokoro bonsai pottery of hand-built stoneware ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
#7
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[IBC] ant infestation
Hi Len,
Thanks for the detail, i was confusing the fact that ants sometimes farm aphids for the honeydew produced with ants cutting leaves to harvest some yummy fungi ( Cedric -- Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG |
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