I keep my plants outside in a screened in area. I have some very small ants
that have taken up residence in my phals. They can be seen around the main
stem and hang out around the top center where the new leaf would come.
Should I be concerned?
Any advice appreciated.
Alan

Should I be concerned?
Any advice appreciated.
Alan

Alan, I don't know where you are, but here in Port St. Lucie, FL we are
having an infestation of "Carribean crazy ants". They are tough, tough
customers and look like coffee grounds when dead. We treated our entire
collection with Orthenex yesterday, but the ants are still swarming, mostly
on plants with buds. If they are on your Phals with no flowers present, it
could be that you have some tiny pests for them to feed on. Ants "farm"
their prey. I can tell you that straight alcohol with a little dish soap
added and applied topically does kill them, but that's no solution for a
large scale population. These guys get down into the medium, between nested
pots, you name it.

I am actually about to write a rant to the group, asking for help with these
miserable beasts.

Diana

Alan: The ants themselves usually don't harm orchids, but they can be a
sign of other problems. (1) If they are nesting in the pots, chances are
your potting mix is degrading and you are overdue for repotting. (2) Ants
sometimes bring along their "livestock" -- aphids, mealies, etc. -- when
they move into an orchid pot.

Good growing,
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com

"Alan" wrote in message
. ..
I keep my plants outside in a screened in area. I have some very small ants
that have taken up residence in my phals. They can be seen around the main
stem and hang out around the top center where the new leaf would come.
Should I be concerned?
Any advice appreciated.
Alan

Thanks to all for the input. I'll be taking no chances.
Sayonara ants!

Alan

"Alan" wrote in message
m...
Thanks to all for the input. I'll be taking no chances.
Sayonara ants!

Alan

"Sayonara ants" !?? I think you're an optimist --

Diana,

I don't know about the "crazy ants" you have but I got rid of some carpenter
ants awhile back by misting them with water, then sprinkling them with 20
Mule Team Borax. When they go back to the nest the other ants clean them up
and ingest the borax. I read somewhere it reacts with the acid in their
stomachs, creates gas, and the "stomach or intestines" explodes. Ants, I
guess, can't burp.

Bob
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Should I be concerned?
Any advice appreciated.
Alan

Alan, I don't know where you are, but here in Port St. Lucie, FL we are
having an infestation of "Carribean crazy ants". They are tough, tough
customers and look like coffee grounds when dead. We treated our entire
collection with Orthenex yesterday, but the ants are still swarming,
mostly
on plants with buds. If they are on your Phals with no flowers present, it
could be that you have some tiny pests for them to feed on. Ants "farm"
their prey. I can tell you that straight alcohol with a little dish soap
added and applied topically does kill them, but that's no solution for a
large scale population. These guys get down into the medium, between
nested
pots, you name it.

I am actually about to write a rant to the group, asking for help with
these
miserable beasts.

Diana

On Fri, 1 Jul 2005 22:35:13 -0500, "Bob Walsh"
wrote:

Diana,

I don't know about the "crazy ants" you have but I got rid of some carpenter
ants awhile back by misting them with water, then sprinkling them with 20
Mule Team Borax. When they go back to the nest the other ants clean them up
and ingest the borax. I read somewhere it reacts with the acid in their
stomachs, creates gas, and the "stomach or intestines" explodes. Ants, I
guess, can't burp.

Bob

I think Ray ( www.firstrays.com ) has a recipe for ant pellets
made of candle wax and borax. Someone else was using it as a
power line to keep them out.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Kenni Judd wrote:
Alan: The ants themselves usually don't harm orchids, but they can be a
sign of other problems. (1) If they are nesting in the pots, chances are
your potting mix is degrading and you are overdue for repotting. (2) Ants
sometimes bring along their "livestock" -- aphids, mealies, etc. -- when
they move into an orchid pot.

Good growing,
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com


I have an Epi. cordigerem hybrid that has just finished blooming. Ants
loved the flowers, apparently harvesting nectar from them. It is the
only orchid of mine they seem attracted to. (I checked for aphids and
mealybugs, none there)

Now that the flowers are finished, the ants have departed. It sort of
reminded me of the connection between ants and peonies.


J. Del Col

Bob & Sue, I hesitate to use the borax cure because our cat goes out into
the lanai.

The guy from Terminix is the one who identified the type of ant they are. He
also told me they apparently "jumped" I-95 and are now east of it, where we
are. All his customers have 'em. I mean, we're in FL; there are going to be
ants. But I've never seen it this bad, and now I'm getting a few in the
house, which I cannot abide. If Terminix can't keep them under control (we
also have Chemlawn do the yard), then I'll find a company which can. Enough,
already.

How about a DE barrier on the outside perimeter? It seems like the rains we
get would just wash it away. Maybe the candle wax/borax idea, but outside,
would be better.

Diana

On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 20:16:12 GMT, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:

Bob & Sue, I hesitate to use the borax cure because our cat goes out into
the lanai.

The guy from Terminix is the one who identified the type of ant they are. He
also told me they apparently "jumped" I-95 and are now east of it, where we
are. All his customers have 'em. I mean, we're in FL; there are going to be
ants. But I've never seen it this bad, and now I'm getting a few in the
house, which I cannot abide. If Terminix can't keep them under control (we
also have Chemlawn do the yard), then I'll find a company which can. Enough,
already.

How about a DE barrier on the outside perimeter? It seems like the rains we
get would just wash it away. Maybe the candle wax/borax idea, but outside,
would be better.

Diana


the 'tablets' you make are not going to move. Put them up in the
pots with ants and out of the cat's path. Some ants must be high
enough. Or in a home made ant trap. Something the ants can go
into but the cat will not bother or can not get into. Pop bottle
on it's side with the borax inside.. small holes on floor side,
not large enough for cat to play in. Ants don't need much travel
space.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

I agree with Sue on the borax traps, if you're worried about animal
exposure, and how would DE be of any benefit? It is a sharp, mechanical
barrier to slugs and snails, and I would think would be of no consequence to
ants at all.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Bob & Sue, I hesitate to use the borax cure because our cat goes out into
the lanai.

The guy from Terminix is the one who identified the type of ant they are.
He
also told me they apparently "jumped" I-95 and are now east of it, where
we
are. All his customers have 'em. I mean, we're in FL; there are going to
be
ants. But I've never seen it this bad, and now I'm getting a few in the
house, which I cannot abide. If Terminix can't keep them under control (we
also have Chemlawn do the yard), then I'll find a company which can.
Enough,
already.

How about a DE barrier on the outside perimeter? It seems like the rains
we
get would just wash it away. Maybe the candle wax/borax idea, but outside,
would be better.

Diana

Diana Kulaga wrote:
Bob & Sue, I hesitate to use the borax cure because our cat goes out into
the lanai.........................

I was thinking that
1 Cats wouldn't be interested in eating borax and
2 Borax wouldn't be really toxic to mammals anyway.

I did a quick search to see if I was right about the toxicity and found
this:
*** Terrestrial animals: Borax is practically nontoxic to birds and
mammals. It is relatively nontoxic to bees. Relatively high
concentrations of boron compounds are toxic to insects, and borax is
used for insect control in some cases. ***

That information came from he
http://infoventures.com/e-hlth/pestcide/borax.html

The big surprise (to me) was that borax is a fungicide. I've known, for
decades, about it being used on ants but never knew it is sold as a
fungicide.

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
...
Diana Kulaga wrote:
Bob & Sue, I hesitate to use the borax cure because our cat goes out
into
the lanai.........................

I was thinking that
1 Cats wouldn't be interested in eating borax and
2 Borax wouldn't be really toxic to mammals anyway.

I did a quick search to see if I was right about the toxicity and found
this:
*** Terrestrial animals: Borax is practically nontoxic to birds and
mammals. It is relatively nontoxic to bees. Relatively high
concentrations of boron compounds are toxic to insects, and borax is
used for insect control in some cases. ***

That information came from he
http://infoventures.com/e-hlth/pestcide/borax.html

The big surprise (to me) was that borax is a fungicide. I've known, for
decades, about it being used on ants but never knew it is sold as a
fungicide.

Steve

Thanks, all. I'll try the borax/wax along with the ant bait traps I already
have out there. And yes, Sue, they are also up high. I think they're having
drag races.

Diana

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 19:28:34 GMT, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:

Thanks, all. I'll try the borax/wax along with the ant bait traps I already
have out there. And yes, Sue, they are also up high. I think they're having
drag races.

Diana


There was a whole piece on ant and borax in today's Post. I will
have to look at it again. But it sounded much more work than
either misting them and sprinkling borax or the wax borax.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 17:15:12 -0600, Susan Erickson
wrote:
There was a whole piece on ant and borax in today's Post. I will

Ok so it was the Longmont Times Call -- but from Newsday -
" Got Ants? Get Grits. That's the advice from S.C. - Uncooked
straight from the box. Sprinkle around the anthills.. a few days
later they are supposed to vanish. Boric Acid commonly was used
as and eyewash years ago and is available at many pharmacies. It
can cause eye and skin irritation.

If not -- Boric Acid ant trip + mix 1 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons
boric acid and 3 cups water in large container. Pack small jars
with cotton balls or wads of toilet paper, then fill the jars
with the mixture. Punch holes in the jar lids and screw them
back on the jars. Place near ant hills or burry the ant trip
jars in the soil near the hills allowing them easier access.

Yeast ant trap = Mix 1/3 cup molasses, 6 tablespoons sugar and 6
tablespoons active dry yeast into a smooth paste. Spread the mix
on plastic lids, and place near ant hills. For ant problems
inside the house spread the paste on cardboard and place near
places they travel.

Boric Acid mint jelly + Mix 1 part boric acid and 2 parts mint
jelly or cracker crumbs. Place the bait in jars with holes
punched in the lids.

Borax ant traps = Place 2 cups of sugar, 2 tablespoons of borax
and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Boil mixture 2 - 3 minutes,
stirring often. Let it cool then place the mixture on plastic
lids and place the lids near anthills and areas they frequent.

Borax is a laundry booster and cleaner that was popular in the
50s & 60s and sold as 20-Mule Team Borax. It can still be found
in the laundry aisle.

The article finishes with diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled
along the foundation, indoors and out to kill a variety of
insects... including ants. If all else fails - boiling water is
a good last resort especially for ants. Pour boiling water over
the ant hills. won't work if in your orchid's pot but the
thought counts. Tansy plants naturally repel ants and other
crawling insects Tanacetum vulgare should be raised in large
containers. It is hard to contain and is very invasive in beds.
It attracts ladybugs and lacewings two insects the feed on a
variety of pests, including ants.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php