Carpenter ants

[Camillia]

Hey everyone this year in southwestern Ontario I’ve noticed a lot of ants, inside and outside. Last year it was earwigs. All shapes and sizes of ants. Long story short, went to transplant my girls, and on two out of the four, I found a huge single black ant at the bottom of each. Killed the losers, did my transplant into the fabric bags, and set up Tero ant traps around the base of each plant. I think they are carpenter ants, not sure how to tell the difference. What else should I be doing? Has anyone else had this issue and made it to harvest season?

 

[growsjoe1]

Ants aren't typically harmful to plants
, but if many of them are burrowing into the soil, that could be a problem. It could affect nuit uptake/water and damage roots (only in extreme infestations where the ants have been allowed to set up a home in your soil).

Ants can easily be removed from the plants by spraying them off with plain water.

Those ant traps work well.

 

[Dime]

diatomaceous earth will also work

 

[Janborrego]

Yep I am a firm believer in DE it works wonders. Easy to apply as well. I use a small paint brush for undersides of leaves

 

[Swamp Thang]

Here close to the Equator ants pose no threat to weed-growing endeavors. They file past in processions that snake through the grass like a black serpent and can reduce a dead animal to a clean skeleton in 48 hours but they don't pay any attention to weed plants and would probably only show up if the grower used fish entrails as compost, Native American style. Do carpenter ants eat cannabis plant stems in Ontario?

 

[Janborrego]

We have nasty carpenter ants here in Southern NM. They have never bothered my weed. The little red ants will get on the buds sometimes but they never stay. I think they come for the water. They have not caused any issues either.

 

[Hombre del mont]

Yep I am a firm believer in DE it works wonders. Easy to apply as well. I use a small paint brush for undersides of leaves

Or perhaps better still, a high pressure sprayer at 20g/ltr. I've started using it this year, rather than just sprinkling it and I'm really pleased with the results. I was worried that it might block up the sprayer, but no. It dries to leave a white residue on both sides of the leaves.
Also apply powder around the base of the stem and surrounding soil.

 

[Janborrego]

Or perhaps better still, a high pressure sprayer at 20g/ltr. I've started using it this year, rather than just sprinkling it and I'm really pleased with the results. I was worried that it might block up the sprayer, but no. It dries to leave a white residue on both sides of the leaves.
Also apply powder around the base of the stem and surrounding soil.

Works kind of like a paint sprayer?

 

[Hombre del mont]

Yes. It's just a normal 5ltr high pressure sprayer that you would use to spray insecticide or to do foliar feeding.

 

[oldmaninbc]

Hey everyone this year in southwestern Ontario I’ve noticed a lot of ants, inside and outside. Last year it was earwigs. All shapes and sizes of ants. Long story short, went to transplant my girls, and on two out of the four, I found a huge single black ant at the bottom of each. Killed the losers, did my transplant into the fabric bags, and set up Tero ant traps around the base of each plant. I think they are carpenter ants, not sure how to tell the difference. What else should I be doing? Has anyone else had this issue and made it to harvest season?

They are big and black or red

 

[Camillia]

thanks for the suggestions! I am doing some shopping tonight once the kids are down

 

[Camillia]

They are big and black or red

Big and black, at first I thought, wow a queen ant, but when it happened a second time, I questioned my life. Before I killed them, I noticed almost like yellow hair type strips on its rear end. Very subtle.

 

[Janborrego]

Yes. It's just a normal 5ltr high pressure sprayer that you would use to spray insecticide or to do foliar feeding.

I will look into that sounds easier than what I am doing

 

[oldmaninbc]

Big and black, at first I thought, wow a queen ant, but when it happened a second time, I questioned my life. Before I killed them, I noticed almost like yellow hair type strips on its rear end. Very subtle.

Yeah I'm no specialist in ant identification, I grew up in Ontario and know they exist there, that's about it.

The canadian gov't actually has a web page about carpenter antshttps://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/pest-control-tips/carpenter-ants.html

 

[Old Piney]

From my experience and knowledge Carpenter Ants don't harm plants , but can be a nuisance especially in the house.They like moisture so try to have good air circulation, no mulch up around house or shrubs to close .If you can ,get some chickens and let them free range when your around they love ants but don't let them around little plants they will scratch them out .Carpenter ants don't bite they just craw around on you , I hate those little picnic ant the little bastards bite

 

[Camillia]

I was just standing over a bunch of picnic ants eating up my Tero traps and laughed out loud. Such a wonderful feeling murdering ants.

 

[Camillia]

Yep I am a firm believer in DE it works wonders. Easy to apply as well. I use a small paint brush for undersides of leaves

Hey! I took your advice and have been using DE. Something is still eating through my poor plants. Did you find it took awhile for whatever was doing the damage to leave? My poor outdoor grow this year

 

[Janborrego]

Hey! I took your advice and have been using DE. Something is still eating through my poor plants. Did you find it took awhile for whatever was doing the damage to leave? My poor outdoor grow this year

Yes it will take several days and if it rains you will need to reapply. After 3 days in my grow room. I swept this morning and got like a dustpan full of gnats or aphids. I think aphids because they are bad outside. I cary them in on my clothes most likely. It works by getting into their joints then they cant intake moisture and they dehydrate and die.

 

[Janborrego]

Yes it will take several days and if it rains you will need to reapply. After 3 days in my grow room. I swept this morning and got like a dustpan full of gnats or aphids. I think aphids because they are bad outside. I cary them in on my clothes most likely. It works by getting into their joints then they cant intake moisture and they dehydrate and die.

Are the in glower already or veg. Neem oil works a bit faster but still needs more than one application. I like DE because if you use food grade it is safe for humans and pets. It washes off easily and does not leave a bad taste.

 

[Camillia]

Yes it will take several days and if it rains you will need to reapply. After 3 days in my grow room. I swept this morning and got like a dustpan full of gnats or aphids. I think aphids because they are bad outside. I cary them in on my clothes most likely. It works by getting into their joints then they cant intake moisture and they dehydrate and die.

Thanks! That was great info, I kept applying DE and waiting and everything looks in the clear! Thank you so much for your time and knowledge!!