Have You Got Ants In Your Plants?

HAVE YOU GOT ANTS IN YOUR PLANTS?

By Lois Walters - Member Noosa District Orchid & Foliage Society

Ants are an important component of the eco system.  Ants are cleaners, they eat and help decompose organic matter in the soil, enriching the soil. 

Ants also eat pest insects such as fleas, fly larvae and termites.  Ants tunnelling in the soil improve soil aeration, which is helpful to plant roots.  A few ants in the wrong place are not a major concern.  But when they are in our orchid pots/plants, they are both a nuisance and a worry as they can work with other insect pests to suck the nutrients from the plant and thereby affect the plant’s ability to grow and flower. 

 If they are in the pot, simply tip the plant and mix out, remove all the mix from the roots and spray the roots and potting mix with a mixture of pestoil and pyrethrum.  Discard the old mix then repot into new mix.  Alternatively, immerse the pot in water for an hour or so.  Ants hate water.  However, if the ants are making their way around the flowers and foliage of the plant, there could be problems.  Orchids naturally exude a sweet substance to which the ants are attracted.  However, have a close look at where the ants are actually going – there is most likely an infestation of scale, aphids or mealybug under the leaves or somewhere on the stem, especially under dried sheaths at the base of the plant.  Ants feed on the sugary secretions produced by these sap-suckers.  Therefore, remove any dried sheaths then spray all over the plant with a mixture of pest oil and pyrethrum or whatever spray you usually use to kill these pests.  

There are many other ant deterrents at your local hardware store or nursery, such as ant sand, which can be used around the base of your stands or on nearby ant nests.  Use pesticides with caution and care.

Have a great week.

P.S. We have added 3 new orchid images onto 15 products this week. Pop into our store to view these beautiful orchid images on our quality products.

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