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Bonsai Basics
White Belt
Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 18
Location: South West
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 Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 4:26 pm Post subject: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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Hi all,
Not sure if this is a silly question but upon close inspection today of my Cotoneaster i noticed loads and I mean loads of ants all over it?! They were in the tiny flower buds that has slightly opened and basically running all over it, besides looking extremely unsightly are the harmful and should / how do I remove them?
I assume they must be sweet as I also saw 2 bees landing on it.
Any advice would be great.
Thanks, |
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Pappa
Orange Belt
Joined: 01 Apr 2005
Posts: 343
Location: Nr. Cardiff - UK Zone 9
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| Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 4:35 pm Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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As far as I know, they're not a problem unless they're farming aphids for honeydew.
Pappa |
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top_cat
Yellow Belt
Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 185
Location: UK, Norfolk
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| Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 11:53 pm Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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From my experience (although limited) if you have lots of ants it normally means they are farming the aphids, just like what pappa said.
Check your tree out for Aphids as the Ants protect the aphids from natural predators so they can farm them! clever little things |
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Dick
Black Belt
Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Posts: 9348
Location: Western New York State, USA - Zone 4b
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 4:29 am Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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| Besides the aphid, they may also have found a comfortable place for a small nest with larvae within the compost in the pot. A systemic poison may be what is needed to get rtid of them if they are in your soil. |
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jimothy
Black Belt
Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Posts: 2126
Location: Cardiff (Zone 9)
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 7:47 am Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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| Dick wrote: |
| A systemic poison may be what is needed to get rtid of them if they are in your soil. |
really? I don't see how this would affect the ants directly, as it's unlikely they're eating bits of the tree. I would tend to use a splash of ant killer powder on the surface of the soil - they think it's food, so as well as eating it themselves, they carry it back to the nest.
All this said, I'd only bother them if they are bothering you. Check to see if they are indeed setting up home in your pot, or farming aphids. if its only a case of the latter, then get rid of the aphids and problem solved. |
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Bonsai Basics
White Belt
Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 18
Location: South West
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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| Thank you everyone for your time and advice. I will check it out and let you know!! |
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steve
Black Belt
Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 3231
Location: SW Washington,USA
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| Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 1:07 am Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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| I don't know how close your trees are to your house but I try not to let pests frequent any areas next to my home. Ants especially. |
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Neo
Yellow Belt
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 207
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 10:11 pm Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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found ants in one of mine but didnt seem to do any harm, they packed up and left also, holiday or something lol, never see them anymore  |
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Dick
Black Belt
Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Posts: 9348
Location: Western New York State, USA - Zone 4b
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 3:53 am Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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Jim,
I sometimes use a systemic insecticide not just for the tree/foliage eating critters, but for the visitors in the soil. Each watering leaches poisonous water into the soil. Ants will eat decaying compost and so will other critters such as wook lice, centipedes, etc. The systemic will usually assist in making the whole environment inhospitable for them and they leave. |
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Neo
Yellow Belt
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 207
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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| steve wrote: |
| I don't know how close your trees are to your house but I try not to let pests frequent any areas next to my home. Ants especially. |
Have to agree, when i first came to this house there was ants at the back so i had to go and overkill on the ant killer etc to make sure i got them all, been ok since |
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Neo
Yellow Belt
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 207
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 9:56 pm Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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| argh after all i said i found a few ants on my acer kiyohimi, will it be ok? |
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Dick
Black Belt
Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Posts: 9348
Location: Western New York State, USA - Zone 4b
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 11:39 am Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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| If they are in the pot, then treat it with insecticide. If on the branches, do an inspection for aphids and treat it accordingly. |
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Neo
Yellow Belt
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 207
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 11:56 am Post subject: Re: Are ants a major problem??????????? |
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| no aphids just on the soil, caught a couple n sorted em out earlier lol there aint too many but i'll keep an eye out n sort if needed, cheers again |
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