If you have planted a cherry laurel, you may notice the following: On the underside of the leaves there are small brown dots that are eagerly visited by ants. But what attracts the little crawling creatures almost magically and what do they do in so many numbers on the laurel cherry?
Why do ants stay on cherry laurel?
Ants are attracted to cherry laurel plants because they have nectar glands that produce sweet, sugary plant juices. The ants use these plant juices as food and often protect aphids, which also release sweet excretions.
Nectar glands attract ants
The small brown dots on the underside of the leaves are living glands from which the cherry laurel secretes plant juices rich in sugar. These are called extrafloral nectarines because they are not located in the flowers like many other plants, but on the lower part of the leaf blade. Due to the escaping juices, sooty mold fungi settle in these areas over time, which turns the glands almost black. However, this is not dangerous for the laurel cherry and does not require any treatment.
Ants love carbohydrate-rich food
In addition to protein, the beneficial ants feed on sweet plant juices and sugary excretions from harmful insects. That's why ant trails often lead up the cherry laurel to the nectarines, where the animals ingest the secreted plant sap. The path to the sought-after food source is marked with scents (pheromones) so that all workers can find it easily.
Ants and aphids, a symbiotic community
If you notice damage to the cherry laurel, the ants themselves are not responsible for it. Aphids that suck the plant sap are usually not far away. The ants are magically attracted to the smell of the honeydew that the lice secrete during digestion. They milk and care for the pests and also protect them from predators such as spiders and other insects. Aphids are among the animals that reproduce without mating and can therefore form large colonies in a very short time. If you fight the lice in the laurel cherry, the number of ants in the plant will also drastically reduce.
Tips against ants
To drive away the ants, you can attach caterpillar glue rings (€7.00 on Amazon) to the affected cherry laurel bushes. If possible, fight the ants and aphids without chemicals, as biocides are not only harmful to the animals. The agents also get into the air and into the soil via rainwater and damage the environment due to their longevity.
Tips & Tricks
If you find several ant colonies under the cherry laurel, you can easily relocate them. Fill a large flower pot with soil, wood shavings or straw and place it upside down over the nest. As soon as the ants have colonized the pot, you can pick it up with a spade and place it in a place where the beneficial insects do not disturb.
