Ants!!!!!

[mamasanlzn]

I noticed that there are ants all over my phal and cym. I thought that maybe a few that is just crawling around but they are still there after I flood the plant with water. Should I worry that there are ants or what should I do to treat the problem? Is it safe to leave them be?

[Subrosa]

Ants don't pose a direct threat to plants, usually quite the contrary. There are types of orchids and other plants which actually attract and house ants. It provides the plants protection against critters that might do damage. My Brassavola nodosa is currently producing globs of sweet stuff that would definitely attract ants if the plant was outside. However there are types of ants which essentially farm and milk aphids to get their sweet stuff, and aphids are a problem. If no aphids are present and it's just the ants, no worries.

[Bulbofett]

I've had ants on one of my rescue oncidiums ever since I bought it (maybe around 3 months ago). The ants are really tiny black ones, but no matter how many times I've tried to drown them or use soap, alcohol, etc... they always reappear. I've just learned to monitor them.

So far no problems with them. They don't bother any of the other orchids, just the one oncidium with new growths all over the place.

[james mickelso]

Ants grow molds and fungai in the spaces between the media. They're not particular which molds and fungai grow. These gardens will eventually cause root problems and the death of the plant. Yes there are "some" orchids which house a specific species of ant. But the argentine ant or sugar ant as commonly called will become the death of the plant. Get a household garden insecticide and spray the top of the media and the bottom holes. This will eradicate the nest.

[quiltergal]

I agree with James. Ants are bad news, get rid of them. Especially if your plants are in the house. I have used a product called Tero which the little darlings carry back to their nest and feed to their young. It not only kills the adults but the larva as well.

[Tabbyblack13]

A homemade ant killer recipe is equal parts of borax laundry booster and white sugar. It will get carried back to the nest and eaten by the queen and larvae.

[Cym Ladye]

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 Ortho ant powder on it (available on line through Amazon). 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.

You can also use Terro on the paper but not in the plant as it is difficult to get it to wash out of the plant.

[Leafmite]

In the warmer seasons, I get rid of ants by putting fresh leaves of wormwood on top of the potting soil. They vacate very fast!
In the winter/early spring, I go for the terro (?) traps which is basically borax, sugar and water. I always keep a pack of these on hand.
As others have said, ants are around your orchids for a sinister purpose and it is best to keep them off of your orchids.

[lepetitmartien]

bits of hot pepper, lemon displease them highly, it's better to make them flee than spraying a Parkinson disease co-factor.

You can use used coffee too (the powder, not the liquid) it's a working repulsive.

[mamasanlzn]

I did a borax and sugar syrup mixture. I had a graveyard by the plant. I will let you guys know if they came back.