Got ants in your plants?
Adult ants are small, long, and thin insects ranging in size from 1-50mm in length. They range in colours offromlack, brown, yellow, and are sometimes metallic.
Can ants be beneficial?
Yes, ants can be beneficial in the garden, here is how:
- they remove and consume dead animals
- move organic material into the soil
- pollinate flowers
- creating tunnels and aerating the soil
How are ants pests?
However, some ants are pests, and an ant infestation can be a real nuisance in the home and garden.
Depending on the ant species, ants may feed on insect residues, including honeydew from sap-sucking insects such as aphids, whitefly, leafhopper, scale, and mealybug.
They have a symbiotic relationship with these pests, farming their honeydews and in exchange, pests are protected from predators.
Ants sometimes carry these pests from one plant to another, further spreading the infestation.
Sooty mould is a secondary disease caused by excess honeydew remaining on the leaf surface.
They are often found under rocks; tree logs and other debris. Nests can also be built above ground.
Damage to look for
Symptoms of damage include:
- dry looking and dead patches in lawns
- wilted and dry foliage or brown foliage and/or dead plants caused by excessive tunnelling
- increasing evaporative loss of water in the soil, causing lawns and plants to dry out.
- Ants don’t damage plants directly but sometimes do steal freshly sown seed from lawns, garden beds and seed boxes
How to prevent ants?
Prevent ants from appearing by:
- reducing the availability of water
- removing unnecessary containers or water or fixing leaky taps
- reducing the availability of food; placing pet food bowls in a tray of water
- removing garbage and any harbouring sites
- Neem oil is an effective treatment against ant infestations