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Cranbrook bc

I just got my first female bloom and when I looked inside there was tons of ants I got them out and pollinated it and closed it but the flower ripped a bit when taking the ants out will that cause any defects? On my regular pumpkins the ants are attacking the females as well and I'm hoping they arent going to kill my pumpkins if they're going to be a nuisance what is a way to get rid of them that won't kill the pumpkins

7/15/2015 11:35:00 AM

50 Acres

I have an older friend who says slice the skin off a cucumber, and place it near where they travel. The ants leave.

7/15/2015 12:37:19 PM

aurora, IL

The ants are not going to kill your pumpkins. They could be looking for a place to live and they will eat bad insects in your patch. Also, ripping the female flower's pedals will not cause any defects.

7/15/2015 9:38:50 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

On two occasions I had a plant suddenly wilt and die. When I checked the stump, there were thousands of yellow ants swarming and digging around. I quick pull on the stem and it popped right out of the ground with no roots. I don't know if the ants ate the roots or if they rotted and the ants were just cleaning up the mess. But I don't take any chances and get out the insecticide when I see yellow ants in the garden.

7/16/2015 10:15:56 AM

I have many other veggies growing in my garden besides my pumpkin. I have had ants as well, but found them to be helping control the aphids and seed corn maggots. I have seen them carrying those away to their doom! I work to keep the plant healthy with a feeding schedule to keep everything in balance. If you have plants such as oregano and marigolds especially the red ones, I would plant those around your plants. Companion planting does help defend your plant and fruit from attacks.

7/18/2015 8:10:07 AM

Easthampton, MA

I have a degree in entomology, so I might be able to provide an insect perspective. :)

While ant species can vary widely, it is most likely that the ants are collecting nectar from the flower. Since the nectar is the attractant for pollinators, and the flowers are really large, I think the amount of nectar might seem bountiful to an ant colony. Many ants are sugar hounds, and most baits for ants have a high amount of sugar in them for that reason.

Collecting the nectar won't affect pollination, and it's likely that the ants won't be feeding on pollen when you pollinate. (If you see ants in the male flowers I would love know that. That might shake up the situation.)

So I would say, don't pay them any attention. Ants are great guys (gals really) overall, unless they are fire or carpenter ants in the wrong spot of the property. :)

7/18/2015 11:06:44 PM

Alberta

Hi MadMike,
So how would one evict these unwanted tenants,thinking a nuke will do! But short of that ,what would you suggest if we just wanted to serve the ants an eviction notice not a death sentence?
If Eddy's socks will get them to move on ,I'll order a pair!

7/19/2015 5:13:06 AM

Easthampton, MA

*chuckle* Eviction is a little tough. Ants are incredibly hardy, so elimination is usually the option. However, here are some ideas:

Non-lethal - You could use tangle trap (it's a sticky goo used in orchards to catch insects for pest monitoring) or most likely even petroleum jelly. Run a bead around the stem of a flower you want, and the ants won't be able to cross it. Maybe just have a tub of jelly with a craft stick of small brush (1/2" wide or so), and paint your stems every afternoon when you think they will open.

Lethal - I often recommend using Terro Ant bait. It is a borax compound mixed with a sugar solution. It's ignored by almost all other insects and animals and the borax is very low toxicity to mammals. It disrupts the ants digestive system, but is slow to act. Ants collect the liquid and distribute it throughout the colony so it provides good control, but it takes a week or so to see results.

These are the two lowest impact options I can think of right now. If you have heard of other ideas, post them here and I can see if I can give a little more info on them. :)

7/19/2015 11:48:58 AM