Subject: Re: Boric acid and ants
From: Jim and Sheila Reed <ReedJM@worldnet.att.net>
Organization: Silverlake Anglers' Catch and Release Society (SLACRS)
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 1997 23:01:34 -0400
Message-ID: <MOD$970913.15268@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$970912.21692@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$970913.1711@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$970913.8415@rec.gardens.ecosystems>


Carol Moholt wrote:
>
> In response to my question about a boric acid/sugar/water recipe for ant
> control, Bill Morgan wrote:
>
> > First of all, you want to make sure you are poisoning only those which are
> > actually pestiferous, and not those which are harmless or beneficial.
>
For Bill Morgan--
1. I'd think any ant that invades the house is a pest--here in S.
Florida the biggest problems are fire ants, plus ghost ants, pharaoh
ants, black pavement ants and carpenter ants.

We still spray inside to keep ants from being a problem, but do not
spray our lawn or gardens. Can you define which ants you think are
harmless or beneficial? Do you have a reference or source to cite?

> I'm not sure what these ants are, but they are small, do eat sugar, but
> also food of other types, and are a problem all over the valley in which I
> live. Usually I let them alone, but this year they are in everything
> (including many container-filled ornamentals). Because of their
> relationship with aphids, I'm having a hard time keeping my aphid
> population under control, and an increased problem with sooty mold.
For Carol --

My experience is that the aphids come first, and the ants come to
collect the honeydew (which is also responsible for the sooty mold).
Perhaps your ant problem on some ornamentals might lessen if there were
other beneficial insects in place to clear out the aphids, or you took
some other steps to get rid of the aphids. I think if you can remove
the aphids and the honeydew they leave behind there'll be nothing there
to attract these sugar-eating ants.

Regards --