Hey evrybody! I have a ant colloni in one of my pots. What should I do? Do you guys have any good suggestions?
2 Likes
Depends on ant type. If sugar ants terro.
4 Likes
would that leech into the plant when they die and decompose?
2 Likes
Had a nest in a pot this year. Saw it when I put the plant in soil. Ants where running on my arm when I unpoted it. The plant looked as healthy as the others so I left them be as an experiment. They were still there a few weeks ago, and the plant grows very well. Would be worried they cultivate aphids on the plant, that’s a possibility. None so far here. I’d say let them, just have special attention and act if something looks off.
4 Likes
you sit the drops near the nest/pot/ant line. they will be attracted to it, eat a very very small amount and bring it back to kill the queen. i cant see how a single drop of borax/sugar would do anything.
3 Likes
me neither if that’s how it works. i didn’t know, thought it went to all of them and they all ate it and died. if they all took it back, and it’s poison, then it has to go somewhere. it would diffuse to all the cells of the plant i would imagine, and if it’s not that toxic it would be essentially harmless. it was just my first thought and i typed it.
3 Likes
all the worker ants bring it back to the nest but you are placing a single drop on a piece of cardboard and they wont even eat/finish the whole drop of liquid.
2 Likes
Little extra boron for them. Guaranteed to be fire now. Fire ants?
6 Likes
Get rid of them.
Ants have a symbiotic relationship with Aphids. They protect them and harvest their secretions.
I know from experience that if there are ants around, then there are probably aphids around too.
4 Likes
There are MANY species of ants, as @Slammedsonoma420 alluded to.
There is a smaller species that actually patrols plants to hunt for thrips for example. I have been tempted to exterminate these little guys, but they only seem to help.
Folks always seem to jump to the “kill it” when they know little about the species and often we find out later that they were actually beneficial to us.
7 Likes
Introduce a predator to the species. When that species runs out, the predatorial species will die off or maybe even hunt other pests and stick around.
1 Like
Terro. It works, it’s cheap, it’s available, and it kills the entire colony.
Don’t mess around with home remedies and other dubious suggestions.
Other insecticides work but you gotta knock out the queen or they keep coming back. Baits work best for colony insects.
3 Likes
Correct.
There are benefits to keeping ants around but I’d rather have zero pests, including ants, in my medical garden.
For me, The benefit of those ants potentially eating thrips doesn’t outweigh the fact they protect aphids and mealybugs for example.
1 Like
Mine aren’t. But I’ve seen them hunting other insects. Did you see aphids? If you are able to monitor often enough, you can also hold back and wait until you see some.
IMHO their relation is as symbiotic as cow for humans. Aphids are just livestock they get milk from 
But there are antispecist ants tough
1 Like
Your opinions are noted.
But I try to only speak from experience. I’ve seen with my own eyes, ants eating white secretions from aphids off my stems. All my research suggests they do more harm than help to cannabis. Besides, we’re talking about ants, not some kind of animal or endangered insect.
I gave my suggestion. The OP can take it or not. No crying , no arguing. To each their own.
1 Like
Yeah they basically milk them like we do with cows, seen that too. I’m just suggesting and don’t intend to argue rest assured 
It’s up to OP to choose what they see fit anyway.
1 Like
Listen.
…
I can’t even.
2 Likes