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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Ants

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  • From: road's end farm <organic101 AT linkny.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Ants
  • Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 22:26:30 -0400


On May 3, 2007, at 2:24 PM, courtney mcleod wrote:

<x-tad-smaller>Do ants eat aphids?  B/C I have a ton of them crawling around my plants this year and I know I have aphids.  I can’t get rid of them.  I sprayed before there were plants out there and I have sprayed several times since they have shown up on the plants.  I am organic and I use something called Organicide.  I am just besides myself right now as I don’t know how to get rid of them.  By seeing the ants crawling around the plants, I was hoping that they were eating the ants???  Do they do that?  Can someone please help me?????  I want to stay organic but this is the 3</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller>rd</x-tad-smaller><x-tad-smaller> year I have been battling these damn aphids.  I don’t know what to do anymore. </x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller> 
</x-tad-smaller>
I don't know what Organicide is. Have you tried Safers Insecticidal Soap? This is usually effective for aphids, and is permissible for organic use (always check with your certifier about the specific use, if you're certified; insecticidal soaps are restricted use). You might need to mix it up with distilled water if your water is hard; otherwise it may not work right.

As others said: the ants aren't likely to be eating the aphids, or vice versa. They're mutual symbiotes.
The ants protect the aphids, and are fed by them.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



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