Our daughter lives in a nearby city. She has two large ant colonies in the small perennial border along the basement of the house. Some of the plants are being damaged. How do they get rid of the ants ?
Allan --as much as I love plants, I tend to like the ants in the garden too. I've had a large hill of those red thorax kind, the biting ones, for many years at the edge of my veggie garden. I've never had to fight with them, in spite of their supposed connection with aphid infestations. They definitely haul a lot of assorted animal bits, insect parts mostly, out of the garden and into the colony. I've always looked at them as part of nature's balance in my yard! Are the plants definitely being damaged by the ants...what sort of damage is it? Glen
Borax (borasic acid) mixed equal parts with a castor or icing sugar is an old time remedy, sprinkle some around the colony and wait a wee while. The ensuing hours is comparible to a seven year olds birthday party with too much cordial and cake. The sucrose sends the ants crazy, the workers present the sweet treat to the queen and all others underground. A wee while later, you'll notice the ants arent walking on all legs as a pair will be used for rubbing their tummies. They're not feeling so flash now, The boracic acid is abrasive to their exoskeletons from both the inside and outside. The excess sugars in the soil will also excite soil microorganisms and fungaes that are eagerly awaiting to finish off the party going ants. I hope this helps
