The ants come marching one by one, hurrah...

[DebbieW]

HELP!!! How do I get rid of the ants marching all over some of my potted orchids? Thanks!

[WhiteRabbit]

Orange Guard works for me

[Wjs2nd]

Hmmm, ants hate chalk dust/powder.

[Tetouan]

Hi,
You can use red pepper with garlic on the edge of pots,
and\or grow some peppermint plants close to your orchids, i think it will solve your problem with those soldier ants!

[Gin]

I buy the liquid ant bait Terro at Lowe's or Wal Mart Or ? Be sure to flood all your pots they will start a colony especially in bark and if you have a pot sitting in another pot to stop the plant from tipping over .. They like the sweet nectar the buds emit .

[lepetitmartien]

Slices of lemon, or cut in fourth long hot peppers can do the trick (seriously).

Diatomea, chalk, are a barrier.

Btw, ants can be beneficial, if they are after the sugar dew some orchids grow, they will protect the plant. If they are after aphids or greens for their mushrooms, or want to install themselves in the pots, it's better to discourage them.

[Cym Ladye]

Originally Posted by lepetitmartien

.....
Btw, ants can be beneficial, if they are after the sugar dew some orchids grow, they will protect the plant. If they are after aphids or greens for their mushrooms, or want to install themselves in the pots, it's better to discourage them.

Ants also spread virus, milk aphis and with their dirty little feet, track nasty bacteria and molds onto the plant. NO, NO, NO to ANTS!

If ants have set up housekeeping in a pot, I spread out a sheet of newspaper and sprinkle ant powder on it. Then set the contaminated plant on it and sprinkle more powder on the top of the mix. Gently bounce the plant on the newspaper, walk away and leave it for 10 minutes. Repeat this several times as well as tapping the sides of the pot. Leave on paper overnight. The following day, bounce and tap the plant one more time. If no ants show up take the plant back to its home, carefully wrap up newspaper with the remaining powder and dispose of it. The powder will wash through the mix on your next watering. Works for me every time.

CL

[Gin]

Forget the Terro ant bait. I found a colony of them in the greenhouse . Had a plastic pot sitting in a clay pot for weight . Was going thru the plants checking them out and there they were with eggs . I un-potted the plant needed it anyway . Will try CL 's ant powder tip next time.

[nenella]

To those of you that have had this problem..
Can I ask a silly question? do they eat the roots of the plant ? or just the bark /vegetal medium?
Also are they passing through or building a nest ?
I ask as in my experience it is quite easy to deter ants rather than killing them..
to me they are one of the ultimate 'cleaners' of the world..

[Daethen]

Terro has always worked for me.