No question, ants are extremely useful animals and clean up really thoroughly in nature. In doing so, they take on the important work of the “he alth police” – and make life difficult for many a hobby gardener.
How do I keep ants away from my fruit tree?
To keep ants away from a fruit tree, you can relocate the ant colony by placing a clay pot filled with wood shavings on the ant trail. Once the ants have moved, move the pot at least 30 meters from the original location.
Why ants often follow aphids
Ants are hard-working pest controllers, after all, beetle larvae and butterfly caterpillars are on their menu. However, they are also “intelligent” animals that literally keep entire colonies of aphids. The excretions of the lice, the sugar-rich honeydew, serve as readily available food for the ants - so that the aphids are literally defended by the ants against predators. This goes so far that the lice are even deliberately relocated to other plants by the ants - for example if the plants in question are closer to the ant burrow. However, many a colony has already made itself comfortable directly under a fruit tree, which in turn can cause considerable damage to the roots of the tree in question.
What you can do against ants – and why it is so important
An ant colony consisting of around 500 animals loosens the soil on the tree in question by digging tunnels so much that it can essentially be hollowed out - and will fall over in the next storm. Not to mention the fact that the lice, which multiply briskly, cause more or less severe damage to the fruit tree. So when you fight leaf or other cell sap-drinking plant lice, you always have to think about eliminating the ant colony. Otherwise it may happen that the aphids will soon be back or found on the neighboring tree.
Relocate ants instead of fighting them
Now you don't have to attack the ants with toxic chemicals right away. It is often enough to relocate the animals with a few tricks. The easiest way to do this move is as follows:
- Fill a large clay plant pot with wood shavings.
- Place it directly on the ant trail with the opening facing downwards.
- The animals will soon begin moving, carrying their dolls to their new accommodation.
- Once the move is complete, carefully pick up the pot with a shovel.
- Now carry him to his new location.
- This should be at least 30 meters away from the old one.
Tip
Regularly spraying a fruit tree infested with leaf lice and other lice with a strong jet of water or plant manure also helps against both the lice and the ant plague.
