Ants in my plants!!!

We’ve all seen them, scurrying around like little dervishes. What are they doing? Why are they here? Can I get rid of them safely?

Okay, first let’s understand a little bit about why they’re there. Ants are little farmers, herders really. They find insects in your plants, usually scale, mealy bug, aphids, and protect them fiercely and fight off most predators of those they are herding. Why do they do this? The excrement from the insects, aphids, mealy bugs and others is food to them. This excrement is also called ‘honeydew” and is what they are so fiercely protecting. Eliminate the food source and away goes those ants!

Ant protecting aphids

Now, to get rid of those insects the ants are protecting can be easy, such as picking off the aphids (or using a dose of high pressure water making sure it won’t damage the more fragile plants) and being more diligent in the future. For more clinging type, such as scale and mealy bug, it can be a bit more difficult. You can use manual removal, providing the plant is fairly small and not inundated with them. You can use repeated applications of an insecticidal soap until they have gone. Another method is using beneficial insects at the first sign of infestation. Be aware, you can’t use the beneficial insects and any kind of pesticide at the same time. Most pesticides, whether organic or synthetic are NOT selective. They are meant to kill whatever comes in contact with it. Definitely check the label on these.

 

Brown scale on leaf

If you wish to use a chemical, there are systemics (usually diluted and poured at base of plant, plant takes up the chemical throughout the whole plant, making the plant taste terrible to the insects) that can be used, both on ornamental plants and on most edibles. READ THE LABEL CAREFULLY. If it doesn’t list your plant and/or insect, don’t use it as you will be wasting your time and money. Make sure if you are using it on your edible plants, it lists how soon after application you can safely harvest. Many systemics are good for 3-6 months and some are good for a whole year. The choice is yours and a notation on your calendar or in your phone’s calendar can help you keep on top of it.

Cottony Cushiony Scale

 A little plant housekeeping by taking weekly walks in your yard and inspecting your plants will help with early detection. Plant a lot of flowers, even if they are seasonal type only. Doing this will help bring in beneficial insects and confuse many of the bad ones because they have so much to choose from. Try for diversity in your yard. Too many of the same plants (known as a monoculture) is just a buffet for the bad guys! Make sure that you are giving your plants the nutrition and water they need. Stress will bring on insects and disease as well. Even top dressing your flower and veggie beds with a good compost will help your plants thrive.

Happy gardening!

Mary

Click on link for resource for beneficial insects:

www.arbico-organics.com

For information on Systemic pesticides click on link

www.bayeradvanced.com

These chemicals can be purchased at most retail and garden centers

Beneficial Bugs.... How To Get Them To Eat At Your House!   

Just a bit more about bees and other insects, pesticides and how you can do your part to keep our fruit and vegetable choices as varied as possible!

In my Facebook post I mentioned that pesticides/chemicals can wreak havoc with bees and other insects and their systems. I said that it can cause death, affect their ability to fly, navigate, forage, mate and feed themselves. 

One of the biggest issues we have currently (or so I believe) is that many of the pesticides use a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids. These chemicals are found under several names, in several products and can cause varying degrees of harm not only to the insects (not just talking about bees here) but to ourselves if we get them in our eyes, inhale them or even absorb them through our skin. (There's a reason there is a notation to use eye protection, long sleeves, etc. on pesticides and herbicides.) At the end of this article I will give a short list of neonicotinoids and the names you may find them under.

Okay, now for the GOOD news! You can actually increase the beneficial insect population with planting a variety of flowers & plants in your yard. Growing a variety of flowers in your yard attracts the beneficial insects that will help keep the undesirable insect population down if not eliminate (at least for a season... let's be realistic!) the harmful visitors so that the damage to your garden, both edible and ornamental will fare better.

When I say a variety I mean more than one type of flowering plant. They don't all have to be blooming all the time. Some insects look to the same plant for different uses. They use the pollen/nectar to survive, they may use the leaves and stems as food or to lay eggs or for sustenance for the larvae once they hatch. Use plants that are annuals (one season, start to finish) and perennials (all year, but may only flower at a specific time) and long term shrubs trees and ground covers. 

Add an insect hotel to your yard and it will help keep the good guys around a bit longer. Also create a water source, whether a small pot saucer that you fill with pebbles and fill it with water when you are

in your garden. Keep it small and shallow. You want it to dry out so you don’t have standing water and attracts mosquitoes and their larvae. 

You can also import the good guys to your yard. A resource is a company called Arbico Organics. They have very good information as to what their beneficial insects will help with and the prices are really good. Be aware though that you can’t import these guys as a preventive measure. If the bugs aren’t there for them to eat, they won’t stay. Same goes for ladybugs. Don’t bother buying them unless you have food for them. You wouldn’t invite a friend over for lunch but when they get them you tell them you have no food as yet but may…eventually… have food. They won’t stay and neither will your bugs!

If you have a small space and want to dedicate it solely to vegetables and herbs, I

Basil going to flower

understand. You can still add the flowering (and edible) plants to your veggie & herb garden by using them along the perimeter of the garden plot, plant annuals throughout your garden plot (yup, right next to the edible plants!) and if you allow some of your herbs to go to flower (buy extra) they will also be a beneficial attractant. Not only does this method of inter planting work well for bringing in the good guys, but it will also help keep weeds down, keep soil moist by shading or even covering it (depending on what you plant) and if you use certain cover crops, you will be adding nutrition to the soil. I will cover that in another blog… soon!

When all is said and done, being mindful of what you plant, what you add to the air/soil/water in your yard will ultimately determine how healthy your yard, and you, will be.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact me and I can help you improve not only your soil but your garden yield as well.

Happy planting!                                                

Large insect hotel using pallets

Mary

Neonicotinoids: Names they go by

Imidacloprid

Clothianidin

Acetamiprid

Thiacloprid

Thiamethoxam

Fipronil

Endosulfan

Spinosad

Synthetic pyrethroids.. such as

Deltamethrin, Fluvinate and Permethrin

 Resources:

 www.arbico-organics.com

http://inhabitat.com/diy-how-to-build-an-insect-hotel-from-found-materials - good resource for ideas and info.

 Small insect hotel