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Old June 20, 2017   #16
Bipetual
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Gorbelly, I'll continue to keep an eye on them, then. Thanks a lot for all the advice!
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Old June 20, 2017   #17
Dewayne mater
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I've got aphid farming ants on my pepper plants. Green aphids are abundant. Ladybugs have discovered the aphids and several lady bugs are eating aphids at a good clip. For now we have nature battling it out and the plants seem to be weathering it ok, so, I'm leaving them to their own devices. However, that can get out of balance quickly and if so, spraying plants is essential. I've tried several different ant treatments outside the raised bed that are getting in, but, so far, the ants seem to ignore the treatments.
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Old June 20, 2017   #18
Bipetual
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Dewayne, I agree, I will spray if I see an increase in aphids.

After reading an article online, I really saturated the pots with water, which was supposed to make the ants leave, which it didn't.

Then I wrapped landscape fabric over the bottom of the pots. I wasn't sure what would happen. A day later a line of ants had tunnelled their way out the top of the pot carrying little oval shaped white things, which I think were pupae, and disappeared between the planks of the deck. So the ants appear to have relocated voluntarily for now.

I may try the Amdro at some point, but since my dog is always coming in and out over the deck it kind of complicates where I can leave cornmeal-based poison.
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Old June 20, 2017   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bipetual View Post
Dewayne, I agree, I will spray if I see an increase in aphids.

After reading an article online, I really saturated the pots with water, which was supposed to make the ants leave, which it didn't.

Then I wrapped landscape fabric over the bottom of the pots. I wasn't sure what would happen. A day later a line of ants had tunnelled their way out the top of the pot carrying little oval shaped white things, which I think were pupae, and disappeared between the planks of the deck. So the ants appear to have relocated voluntarily for now.

I may try the Amdro at some point, but since my dog is always coming in and out over the deck it kind of complicates where I can leave cornmeal-based poison.
Put the Amdro between the planks of your deck and let them fall down to the ants.
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Old June 21, 2017   #20
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I get ants all the time in pots and in the ground. I just use that Sunflower brand of quick grits. I sprinkle all over the top of pot and down on ground around the base of pot and let the ants eat for several hours. When I see most of the food gone, then I water the heck out of the pot or mound. Usually kills them all off in a day or two. If the infestation is really heavy it may take a second dose of grits to get rid of the last of them. The grits a cheap and effective way to get rid of them with out chems. If a couple of doses of grits doesn't do the trick then I would use some heavy treatment.
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Old June 21, 2017   #21
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I get ants all the time in pots and in the ground. I just use that Sunflower brand of quick grits.
Great idea!
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Old June 21, 2017   #22
gorbelly
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Grits don't harm ants. That's a myth. I'm guessing the repeated flooding is what's making the ants go away.
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Old June 21, 2017   #23
Bipetual
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Quote:
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Put the Amdro between the planks of your deck and let them fall down to the ants.
Glad I have you guys to do my thinking for me.

Starlight, thanks for the suggestion.

Last edited by Bipetual; June 21, 2017 at 03:42 PM.
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Old June 21, 2017   #24
Rockporter
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Quote:
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Glad I have you guys to do my thinking for me.
LOL, yeah just use a little brush if you have to. They'll think heaven just sent them food, lol.
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Old June 22, 2017   #25
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Ants can be a nuisance. They carrry aphids everywhere on artichokes, fruit trees and take away carrot seeds. If I can find the nest a pan of boiling water does the job without polluting anything. Glu on a strip of paper round the tree trunk is effective if no branch can touch a wall, fence or another tree. I can use poison, only as a last resort.
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Old June 22, 2017   #26
gorbelly
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Ant digestion
and why grits can't kill ants as many people claim.

Grits, grain meal, etc. are often used as a carrier for ant poison. This is probably why this myth started.
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Old June 22, 2017   #27
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Interesting read. Now I know the grits doesn't work on carpenter ants, my lizards eat the heck out of them. The grits no good for fire ants either, but the small black/brown ones, it works on them.

I been using grits for years and have good success as I don't use chems around the food plants.

Now if I get some carpenter ants built up colonies and I want a quick kill, I'll use a can of Eliminator on flowering plants. It's 1.88 at Walmart and kills ants and roaches in an instant. Using the Elimator, I can just do spot killing when and where needed without poisoning my beneficials.
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Old June 22, 2017   #28
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The carpenter ants are used as an example because they can consume larger particles than many other ants.

It will work even less well on the smaller ants.

I suspect nest disturbance is what's making the ants go away. Grits definitely do not kill ants.
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Old June 22, 2017   #29
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This is another one of those threads with a great title. Each time I see the title I think it says, "Ants in my PANTS", lol.
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