tiny black ants - Orchid Board

VickiC · #1 09-15-2009, 02:03 PM

Hi,
Earlier this morn. I noticed a few very, very tiny black ants on one of my catts.....especially on a new growth. I tried to take a pic of them on the plant, but my camera wouldn't cooperate.....so I was only able to take some not so good ones on a tray sitting beside the plant.

Can you tell me if they will do harm, or should I not be concerned that they're crawling around on it?

I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance,
Vicki

camille1585 · #2 09-15-2009, 02:12 PM

As long as the ants aren't nesting in the pot, they don't harm the plant. They are there to eat the sap and nectar. Watch them closely to see if they are going in and out of the medium, which would indicate a nest. I would check your plant over carefully since ants also come if there is some insect prey for them.

got ants · #3 09-15-2009, 02:33 PM

I would also keep an eye out for any odd stuff happening on the tips of new growth. Sometimes ants will propagate scale, mites, and aphids, so those other insects will produce food for them.

VickiC · #4 09-15-2009, 02:56 PM

Hi Camille,
I just came in from checking again in the gh, and I saw a trail of ants coming from outside. I followed it, and I believe I know where they're coming from. I'll try to "head em off at the pass" (lol) by killing them somehow before they get inside, but in the meantime, I'll do as you advise. Thank you!
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by camille1585

As long as the ants aren't nesting in the pot, they don't harm the plant. They are there to eat the sap and nectar. Watch them closely to see if they are going in and out of the medium, which would indicate a nest. I would check your plant over carefully since ants also come if there is some insect prey for them.

VickiC · #5 09-15-2009, 03:11 PM

Hi!
I 'm going back out to the gh shortly to check to be sure nothing that you and Camille mentioned is happening, then I'll start keeping my eye on them closer.

Do you have suggestions as to what would be best to kill them before they get inside? As I was telling Camille, I think I have tracked down where they seem to be entering.

Thank you very much for your advice,
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by got ants

I would also keep an eye out for any odd stuff happening on the tips of new growth. Sometimes ants will propagate scale, mites, and aphids, so those other insects will produce food for them.

got ants · #6 09-15-2009, 08:23 PM

As a pest control operator, my go to product is Merit. It is pricey, but also a systemic, so not needed too often.

I'm still a newb with chids so maybe others will chime. Especially with the home/organic remedies.

btw, in between services with Merit, I do a light misting bi-monthly with Talstar.

Judi · #7 09-15-2009, 10:26 PM

I had good luck with House Guardian Insect Spray from Gardens Alive. Once I found where they were coming in I sprayed around the foundation outside and in the baseboard inside. Active ingredients are .30% Pyrethrins and 1.00% canola oil; it seemed to work for me. I needed to be careful as I had 3 kittens at the time. Before that I always used powdered Boron (spelling?)--not the cleaner but the stuff that used to be in eye wash, but I haven't been able to buy that for years now. The liquid baits also work if you don't have pets or kids to worry about. I haven't tried this but I read that you could mix 1/4 cup household sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, and 1 tablespoon yiest and slather it on cardboard pieces and place them in the ant paths. Supposedly it takes about a week, but the ants die after eating the mix due to the yiest expanding in their stomachs--basically blowing them up. Don't know if it's true, but if it is, it could be quite rewarding to see the little critters explode! Maybe it's like watching slugs explode after putting salt on them. I've seen that happen--learned it from my son--the things you learn from your children

VickiC · #8 09-15-2009, 11:08 PM

I have a friend who told me sometime back that she thought Merit was very good and as far as I know, she still uses it on her orchids. Now that you have also suggested it, I'll certainly check it out.
Thank you again!
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by got ants

As a pest control operator, my go to product is Merit. It is pricey, but also a systemic, so not needed too often.

I'm still a newb with chids so maybe others will chime. Especially with the home/organic remedies.

btw, in between services with Merit, I do a light misting bi-monthly with Talstar.

VickiC · #9 09-16-2009, 12:17 AM

Hi Judi,
I have never heard of the "home insecticide method" for ants that you mentioned, either, but I'm thinking it would probably be the route I should take this time since we have cats.....then look further into something to use as a good insecticide on my plants later (Merit perhaps, as got ants advised). The "home insecticide treatment" sounds like the same concept of throwing rice at weddings. I understand that the birds eat it and it expants in their stomachs and although this is something I would want to avoid, I'm with you that it would be quite rewarding to see these little ant varmits explode. (Rice at weddings is obviously something that people did know not about back in the middle ages when we were married.) This is the 1st year I've been growing in a gh, and I know that these little ants aren't going to be the only pests I'm confronted with.....far from it from what I understand. I'm sure I'm going to have to learn how to battle lots of unwanted company but first of all, I must teach these little varmits that the gh does not belong to them and my chids are not their snacks.....so thanks for your help.
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judi

I had good luck with House Guardian Insect Spray from Gardens Alive. Once I found where they were coming in I sprayed around the foundation outside and in the baseboard inside. Active ingredients are .30% Pyrethrins and 1.00% canola oil; it seemed to work for me. I needed to be careful as I had 3 kittens at the time. Before that I always used powdered Boron (spelling?)--not the cleaner but the stuff that used to be in eye wash, but I haven't been able to buy that for years now. The liquid baits also work if you don't have pets or kids to worry about. I haven't tried this but I read that you could mix 1/4 cup household sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, and 1 tablespoon yiest and slather it on cardboard pieces and place them in the ant paths. Supposedly it takes about a week, but the ants die after eating the mix due to the yiest expanding in their stomachs--basically blowing them up. Don't know if it's true, but if it is, it could be quite rewarding to see the little critters explode! Maybe it's like watching slugs explode after putting salt on them. I've seen that happen--learned it from my son--the things you learn from your children

dounoharm · #10 09-16-2009, 07:54 AM

i have an ant problem in my gh....i have put little ant hotels everywhere and that doesnt seem to control the problem...they just move around to other pots....they get to nesting in a certain pot and i flush em out and put the hotels out, but they just go into hiding and show up in a week or two in another pot.....i will try the merit also, and pray it works for me....