Subject: Re: Ants And Spiders
From: [email-masked] (Dave Gardner)
Date: 15 Jul 94 17:42:00 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture

> Does anyone know how to keep ants (hundreds of them) off my tomato
> plants and spiders (hundreds of them also) out of my house?  I've used
>  the hose to get the ants off but they keep coming back. Should I go
> to  a pesticide?  The spiders are everywhere in the yard and in the
> house.   There is both little harmless ones and huge (one inch across)
>  ones.  Should I spray these little buggers? Thanks
> 
Hi Tom.  Both insects(&arachnids) you mentioned are benificial.  The 
spiders eat other insects.  If they are a problem, any insecticide will 
control them.  Diazinon, Dursban, etc....but since you posted your 
message in this echo I will assume you do not want to use those 
pesticides.  If that is the case, don't worry about the spiders as they 
are truly benifical.  As far as the ants go, it they are on you plants, 
that is an indication that you have aphids.  Diazinon, or Orthene will 
take care of those.  If you are of the organic gardener type, then spray 
with a horticultural oil or a soap formulation to control the host 
insect (aphids) and the ant should go elsewhere looking for food, since 
they feed off of the aphid's secretion.  No aphids....No ants.
Hope this little bit helps.
dg