ants

[Ferrari]

hello everyone,

I grow my orchids outside and been noticing a lot of little black ants on my benches. I read that sometimes having ants is an indication of other pests, but not in this case. I have inspected all my orchids very carefully and can't seem to find any other pests. So I wonder why are these ants making themselves sooo comfortable inside my pots, and all around my benches?

Anything I mught be missing?

Thanks,
Veronica

[Tindomul1of9]

Maybe they just want to live in the pots. I dont think this is a good thing for your orchids, I read somewhere they can damage roots, and hinder your plants ability to stay in the pot. Check to see if the ants are actually living in the pots! Yikes.

[maegg]

I think I'd repot the orchids to get rid of the nests and then treat the area they are in like a bench. We have an old teak church pew on our patio and it sometimes attracts ants. We sprinkle ant killer around it and then repot if we catch them in an orchid pot. You could probably try a simple bait that they eat and take back home although I don't know how that would effect orchids.... hmmmmm.

[Gin]

I use Revenge or Antrol it is boric acid and sugar in a liquid form it is dabbed on the pot rim . They eat and take it to the nest , have to be careful if you have cats .
Can also drown them by submerging the pot in water with a shot of dish soap in it . Gin

[Tindomul1of9]

PM for a link that shows you how to get rid of pests from terrariums and the plants in them. I dont see why doing the same wouldnt help you out. just put the orchids in a garbage bin (empty ofcourse, and rename it the curing bin to make you more comfortable about putting them in there), and drop CO2 to kill all the pests.

You know, I guess this would work for all pests that might affect an orchid. CO2 never hurt a plant afterall. HMmmmmm, let me know what you guys and gals think.

[Ferrari]

thank you guys! Don't know what to do yet, but will think of something by tomorrow. This afternoon I went to a nursery down by Homestead and ask them about my little ant problem, they told me that they wont hurt the orchids. But still, they bother me I checked the pots as you guys said, but they don't seem to be nesting in them, no clue what they are looking for though. I have almost all my orchids in plastic pots, inside a clay pot for added support. they are not getting inside the plastic pots, just around and inside the clay pots. Not sure what to do yet. Will think it over. Somehow, someway I feel bad putting those baits, that kill the whole colony. I know it sounds funny, but I'm the type that won't kill a insect, but pick it up and take it outside

thanks anyways,
Have a lot of life or death decisions to make overight

Veronica

[Diane]

Nice, dark, moist clay pots do attract ants. I get them living in my plastic pots occasionally too. If they are just visiting, they will go "home" to the nest probably at night. If you can't stand killing them, at least spread an ant repellent around the base of the pots and bench. Then no more will come, and the ones already there will die shortly... ants don't have a real long lifespan.

[sake of silence]

I get ants time to time, the are usually after nectar and honey dew, and the stuff inside the ovary. I cant stand to have a plant covered in ants. I use this stuff, I cant think of the name, but it comes in an orange package, for sweet eating ants, spread it on cardboard and the ants redisperse it. Ends in "trol" more than likely.

[Ferrari]

Hi Diane,

Any ant repellent will do? I don't want anything that would hurt my plants.

[Diane]

I use any of the spray types. Just avoid spraying the plants, spray the pot, around the pots, where the bench legs touch the ground.