After I juice my fruit-lemons tangerines and oranges I save the peals or skin and chop them up then mix them in my potting soil. Ants may go in to explore but wont stay. later it will become mulch but by that time I'm usually repotting. Ann Marie Southern California Zone 9 inland On Thu, Apr 5, 2018 at 3:24 PM, Jo&Greg <sun-coast-pearl@telus.net> wrote: > It also kills earthworms, and other softer-bodied beneficial insects. > Jo Canning > > -----Original Message----- > From: pbs <pbs-bounces@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> On Behalf Of John > Wickham > Sent: Thursday, April 5, 2018 10:36 AM > To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > Subject: Re: [pbs] ants in pots > > My problems are associated with Argentine ants. They have shallow nests > and pots are a prime nesting spot for them. And it seems the issues with > aphids and mealy bugs is more pronounced in these situations. With regard > to diatomaceous earth, I've heard that becomes ineffective when wet. Is > that the case? > > > On Thursday, April 5, 2018 9:47 AM, Jo&Greg <sun-coast-pearl@telus.net> > wrote: > > > I do not know about other ant species, but with regard to carpenter ants > ... > they have the main colony, and the "nursery colonies" which are always a > little warmer, and more humid. This is why you can see them walking in a > line from somewhere outside, into your abode or porch, etc. They also have > multiple queens, so one will stay with each area. As for the gasoline > treatment, pouring orange oil down the colony will do the same thing, and > cause an underground smoldering fire if your ground is peaty. > Jo Canning > > -----Original Message----- > From: pbs <pbs-bounces@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> On Behalf Of Rick > Buell via pbs > Sent: Thursday, April 5, 2018 5:36 AM > To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > Cc: Rick Buell <rredbbeard@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [pbs] ants in pots > > They buy ant colonies **without** a queen.... > -------------------------------------------- > On Thu, 4/5/18, Jane Sargent <jane@deskhenge.com> wrote: > > Subject: [pbs] ants in pots > To: pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > Date: Thursday, April 5, 2018, 8:03 AM > > I agree that it sounds possible to unpot the plant and wash the ants > away, but I have never had ants in my pots and so have no direct > experience. In my Mexican garden, we have enormous underground colonies > of leafcutter ants. This is like National Geographic, with trails of ants > carrying parasols they have snicked out of my hibiscus and gardenias. A > plantsman there suggested making a deep hole into a colony, perhaps by > hammering a broom handle into it, pouring gasoline down the hole, tossing > a match and running away as fast as possible. > He says it leaves a crater and a bad smell but crimps the style of the > ants. > Don't try this in your bulb pots. > > I wonder why ants prefer your bulb pots to the ground. Is it the > drainage? > Most ants don't like to live in boggy ground. > > Do all the colonies appear similar, or > do you have several species of ants? > > People pay good money to buy ant farms > for their children. > > Jane > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. > http://www.avg.com/ > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…