ants in my plants

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lismil Marks, MS(Zone 7b) Sep 18, 2010

I have discovered that I have ants in all my houseplants. When I water them, thousands of ants come running out of them. What is the best way to get rid of the ants without killing the plant. Also, in what way do the ants harm the plants? Or do they harm the plants? Thanks so much.

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OCCAROL Santa Ana, CA(Zone 10b) Sep 18, 2010

Lismil, the ants don't harm the plants directly, but they do farm honydew producing insects such as aphids and mealybugs.
If you want to kill them, there are several granular products that you water in...Bayer is the one I use.
If you're of a gentler nature, a little trick I learned on the orchid forum, is to take your plants outside and set them in a larger container, give them an escape bridge, such as a leaf or straw, then gradually fill the large container with water, in stages, so they can carry their eggs out to safety. I haven't tried it personally, but I will before bringing my orchids in for the winter. Or maybe I'll just go the chemical route...I wouldn't miss a few million ants.
I forgot to mention, check the drainage holes in your pots! I have had them completely plugged by the ants fungi farms.

Hope this helps!

Carol

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