Subject: HELP!!! How to eliminate ANTS in houseplant

From: [email-masked] ()
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 1995 15:29:06 GMT

Hello all,
I hope this is the right newsgroup for posting this and I'm desperate.
I have an indoor tropical plant (7' tall, not quite sure what is the
name of the plant).
One day, all the sudden I saw some ants crawling around the outside of
the 16" pot and onto the carpet where the plant is sitting.
I then removed the plant from the pot, and to my surprise there is like
a nest of ants (a lot lot of ants) at bottom inside of the pot and also
in the middle of the roots.  If I take the roots and pound it agaisnt the
floor I would see a whole bunch of ants dropping out onto the floor. 
These ants are small type of ants and they look like the inhouse ants.
The ants probably already live in the plant at the time that I bought
the plant.
I would like to know a way of killing these ants without killing the
plant so there will be no more ants crawling around the house and on the
carpet.  If you have any suggestion/ideas please let me know by sending
me email or if you know any chemical that would kill the ants but not
the plant.
Thanks in advance,

Dzung Vu.
-- 
Regards,

   *-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
   |   DZUNG  Q. VU                      Phone: (512) 838-2793 (t/l 678)   |

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From: [email-masked] (DH)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 04:19:35 GMT

Christine Owens ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Take the plant outside.  Unpot it, and stick it in a large bucket.  Wash the
: roots until all the dirt is gone.  See if in this process you can locate the
: queen and kill her (look for a really BIG ant -- probably in the center
: of a ball of other ants).  Using fresh potting soil, repot the plant.

Admitted newbie here, but wouldn't that stress out the plant?  I 
thought I remembered reading somewhere that one shouldn't bare the roots 
when repotting.  I ask because I've had the same problem with ants, and I 
have some plants that I've had for a long time and don't want to risk 
killing.  Usually, I find that spraying pesticide around the outside rim 
of the pot and moving the plant works.  Also, I've had good luck putting 
the plant outside and letting the soil get a bit dry.  I think the 
moisture is what attracted the ants in the first place.  

If the recommended procedure is relatively stress-free to the plant, that 
would be an interesting approach.  I don't think I've ever actually seen 
a queen ant.

-- 
 \|/
  O<[email-masked]
^(_)^   spector had a little bird, a 'tiel hen named Merlot,
_||__   and everywhere that spector went, the hen was sure to go!

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From: [email-masked] (DH)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 04:19:35 GMT

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From: [email-masked] (DH)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 04:19:35 GMT

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From: [email-masked] (lynn vavra)
Date: 8 Apr 1995 03:35:33 GMT

Last week I transplanted some outdoor tropicals & lo, and behold: 
mega-antage.  I put the entire plant, sans containor, into a big ice
bucket & immersed it for about 30 mins.  Seems to have worked & the plant,
a week later, doesn't seem worse for the wear.  Those darned ants!

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From: [email-masked] (robert p blais)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 17:09:42 -0400

Christine Owens ([email-masked]) wrote:
: In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] () writes: 

: >
: >
: >Hello all,
: >I hope this is the right newsgroup for posting this and I'm desperate.
: >I have an indoor tropical plant (7' tall, not quite sure what is the
: >name of the plant).
: >One day, all the sudden I saw some ants crawling around the outside of
: >the 16" pot and onto the carpet where the plant is sitting.
: >I then removed the plant from the pot, and to my surprise there is like
: >a nest of ants (a lot lot of ants) at bottom inside of the pot and also
: >in the middle of the roots.  If I take the roots and pound it agaisnt the
: >floor I would see a whole bunch of ants dropping out onto the floor. 
: >These ants are small type of ants and they look like the inhouse ants.
: >The ants probably already live in the plant at the time that I bought
: >the plant.
: >I would like to know a way of killing these ants without killing the
: >plant so there will be no more ants crawling around the house and on the
: >carpet.  If you have any suggestion/ideas please let me know by sending
: >me email or if you know any chemical that would kill the ants but not
: >the plant.
: >Thanks in advance,
: >
: >Dzung Vu.
: >-- 
: >Regards,
: >
: >   *-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
: >   |   DZUNG  Q. VU                      Phone: (512) 838-2793 (t/l 678)   |
: >

: Chris Owens

	I suggest getting a pesticide with Boric Acid in it. The ants on 
the outside take it to the queen ant, who eats it and dies. It is safe 
around animals and people, and is far less stressful to the plant. It is 
available from Gardener's Supply Company in Burlington VT(800-944-5580) 
and from Garden's Alive(812-537-8650).
		Bob Blais

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 6 Apr 1995 01:35:47 GMT

>: >me email or if you know any chemical that would kill the ants but not

Boric acid is NOT safe around children and pets.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 03:56:19 GMT

>me email or if you know any chemical that would kill the ants but not

Take the plant outside.  Unpot it, and stick it in a large bucket.  Wash the
roots until all the dirt is gone.  See if in this process you can locate the
queen and kill her (look for a really BIG ant -- probably in the center
of a ball of other ants).  Using fresh potting soil, repot the plant.

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 03:56:19 GMT

Chris Owens

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From: [email-masked] (Allyn Weaks)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 1995 20:18:34 -0800

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (robert p blais)

> and from Garden's Alive(812-537-8650).

Boric acid is somewhat toxic to mammals.  Keep it away from kids and pets,
and wash your hands after using it.  Borax (_not_ the same as boric acid)
is almost completely nontoxic to mammals (barring individual
sensitivities), but also somewhat less effective against insects.  It's
better against larvae than adults, so there might be a time delay after
application before you see results.
-- 
Allyn Weaks
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Allyn Weaks)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 1995 20:18:34 -0800

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From: [email-masked] (Allyn Weaks)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 1995 20:18:34 -0800

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From: [email-masked] (Allyn Weaks)
Date: Wed, 05 Apr 1995 20:18:34 -0800

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From: [email-masked] (Craig & Joan Mathew)
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 95 18:47:10 PST

Hello all,
  According to Rodale's The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect 
and Disease Control, one of the very easy controls for ants is chili powder 
or some kind of hot pepper powder.  I've used chili powder out in my garden 
to deter them from beans and you should've seen 'em scurry away when I 
sprinkled it!!  This would probably work just fine for your houseplant, but 
I would definitely suggest putting your plant outside in order to do this.  
The powder will wash away when you water, and all you have to do is 
re-sprinkle after watering.  Works well for me, anyway.

Good luck,
Joan