Does anyone know how to kill ants that nest in rosebushes?
Question:I have two rosebushes and there dont bloom at all, there is a nest of ants there.
Answers:
Spraying them with water will remove the aphids which draw the ants.
Ants will 'farm' the aphids for the honeydew they produce from eating your roses.
After you spray the aphids off with the water, let the area dry out a bit and then add boric acid (harmless to you and the plant) and that will keep the ants away, because it is a dessicant and will dry them out.
I also agree with purchasing benefitial bugs (lace wings, lady bugs). They eat the bad things that you don't want to spray poisen to kill.
ants introduce aphids! buy a pound of ladybugs a good gardening store will have them ...they eat aphids...try a weak solutions in a spray bottle of dishsoap and water spray the rosebush they may decide to leave rent unpaid
Use Triazicide, Home Defense, or Terro. All will kill ants. Home defense can be used indoors or outdoors and creates a barrier so the pests won't come back. Triazicide is the replacement for Diazinon. Terro is an ant control product and all Terro makes is ant control. All can be found at a hardware store.
If you want to stay "Green". Mix 1/2 tsp dish washing liquid to a gal of water, 1/2 boric acid. Spray on and aroune your roses. Will also kill mildew and mites.
BUG-B-GON MAX, Orthonex to name a few that really work well. Orthonex is systemic, which means it is absorbed into the foliage, where the BBG MAX is not and is safe for veggies, fruits, etc.
Amdro is very effective on many species of ants. It is inexpensive, readily available, and a little goes a long way.
Licensed pest and termite tech.
The only reason that there would be ants on your rose bushes is the probability of an aphid infestation. The aphids waste or excrement is called "honeydew" which is a very sweet liquid that is deposited on the bush itself. The ants and the aphids have a symbiotic relationship, in which the aphids get to suck the plant juices from your roses and feed the ants this honeydew. And in return, the ants will protect the aphids from predators who wish to feed on the aphids. In order to get rid of the ants, you must deal with getting rid of the aphids first. Once you rid your roses of aphids, the ants will disappear, since they will no longer be getting fed by the aphids. This will help the flower production also. The aphids are sucking all the life out of your bushes, halting the flower production. You can purchase aphid control at any leading garden center like Walmart, Home Depot, or Lowes. Ortho makes a few products, one of which comes in an aerosol spray formula. "Orthenex" is a 3 in 1 control for insects, mites, and diseases of rose bushes and is endorsed by the American Rose Society! .. Hope this answers your question.
http://www.ortho.com/index.cfm/event/pro...
... Billy Ray
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