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This is not true in all cases. On citrus trees I've seen ants "farm" aphids and scales by protecting them from their natural enemies and eating their excreted n
by mapmap 11y ago
This is not true in all cases. On citrus trees I've seen ants "farm" aphids and scales by protecting them from their natural enemies and eating their excreted nectar. Left alone this combo can easily kill a small citrus tree.
- nostromo 11y agoLadybugs will clear out a garden of aphids in no time. You can buy them online.
- keenerd 11y agoPlease DO NOT buy ladybugs online if you live in the US. These will almost certainly be Asian ladybugs, an invasive species that is displacing the native American ladybugs. https://www.creaturecontrol.net/insect-pest-control/asian-lady-bug/ https://www.creaturecontrol.net/insect-pest-control/asian-la... Asian ladybugs are no more effective at dealing with aphids, but they are easier to farm. So you'll unfortunately get them when mail-ordering.
- artmageddon 11y agoIs it possible to get American ladybugs online?
- reitanqild 11y agoFirst real plum season this year after I killed off a ant colony farming aphids under my plum tree. :-) Edit: Used boiling water to take out the nest, then sprinkled a mix of potato starch with fine ground sugar around. I don't want to much poison on and around my fruit trees. And yes: up to 6 ladybugs had a party in that tree for three consecutive days. I read somewhere that each of them can munch up to 100 aphids a day so I guess there was quite a few to start with.
- smcl 11y agoWhat was the potato starch and ground sugar for?
- reitanqild 11y agoSupposedly it kills ants but I only have one sample so it might just be an old wives tale.