Ants problem

[dawn_green]

Hello, i have some pencil vanda currently in spike. I often see some ants perking on those spike, and later the buds that should have opened is blasted. I look closer and i see those ants biting the buds stalks to get some sticky saps (shud be sweet i guess). So i try to get rid of the ants by spraying them with some insectiside, but those critters persist. Could anybody gives me some tips about those ants ??? thanks before

[JoeW]

According to Raymond Cloyd, it is important to control ants, which are attracted to the fluid extracted by orchids, because ants protect aphids, soft scales, and mealybugs from attack by natural enemies. Another writer says that ants have never been proved guilty of damaging orchids, but sometimes ants live in cooperation with the mealy bug and may assist aphids. Ant-proofing outside the house is the safest and simplest method of dealing with them. Inside, you can use ant traps, use a tray of water to create a moat around the pot, weekly spray your plants with a floral safe insectcide. Apparently, especially if the ants have colonized the pot, the best thing to do is to repot the orchid. Dispose of the medium, and make certain that all the ant eggs and the queen are rinsed off the roots and pot. You may kill tons of worker ants without relief if the queen survives to lay eggs and replace them.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

We get ants every so often in one or two pots in the greenhouse. They are persistant, but don't last long after spraying and soaking through the potting media with spray.

Thanks for the information, Joe.

Cheers,
BD

[Becky15349]

Nice info joe. I wonder if there is something natural people cab use to get rid of ants...maybe put out some honey in a dish to get them on that and away fromm the orchids? Something along those lines...
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[Gin]

When I find them what i do is use Revenge or Antrol (bought at a box store )dropped on the pot rim and a drop on the spike . It is boric acid and sugar they eat it then take to the nest, bye bye ants.
If you find them and there are no bloom spikes check the plant for pests the ants also eat the pest droppings . Gin

[JoeW]

Yes, Gin, equal parts of borac acid mixed with sugar is taken back to the nest. Boric acid has been a favorite weapon against ants and roaches, and when used correctly, is one of the most effective cockroach control agents. One tip I saw was stuffing a straw with a mixture of peanut butter, jelly and boric acid for the ants to forage from. With a proper mixture, the colony may be destroyed in a few weeks. Did you know that cucumber parings, catnip, pennyroyal, peppermint, sage, and spearmint are natural ant repellants? Supposedly, ants will not walk through a line of talcum powder or chalk dust. Smear a bit of petroleum jelly around the base of the plant and this will will stop ants too. It does take the destruction of the queen to completely eradicate a colony. So, the boric acid/sugar mix may be the ticket if repotting is not possible.

[Gin]

Good info .Joe thanks for the great tips they are appreciated Gin