Ants in the gardens...

I seem to have an incredible amount of ants in my square foot beds this year. Is this an issue I need to deal with? If so, do you have recommendations?

See this thread:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/864578/
Post #5129486

I do too... I am wondering the same thing!
That thread was funny but not a lot of help. LOL

Truly!

i have no idea what to tell you.

I just saw this on another thread I beleive it was beg veges. They put grits in the mound and when the ants ate it they explode. said they had good luck with this and after a day or 2 water real heavily. deanna

Found it. Is in these threads(forum). Red Ants setting up shop by starlight1153 June 17 post number 5117018. deanna

I don't see any mounds. They just seem to be tunneling from somewhere. I will have to do some searching and see what I can find.

PS - Grits??? In NY? LOL! Talk about having to do some searching!!!

MIxed blessing, ants. Some are great pollinators. I've seen sunflower seed heads covered with them and the SFs did fantastic. This year I noticed them down in the squash flowers. On the other hand, I've also seen them develop a taste for ripe tomatoes.

Frank

You're right about the flowers...they love my peonies, especially the carpenter ants! But they best not even THINK about those tomatoes - it will be WAR!

And now I have a craving for grits! Uh, oh...

I pollinated about a dozen watermelon blossoms this morning and the ants were there helping out! There may not be many honey bees around yet, so it probably is best to have some extra help.

Well, I was out there for a bit, and they don't seem to be doing any harm, so that's a good thing. Guess I'll just keep my eyes peeled. I've just never seen so many before, so I wondering if they were good news or bad news!

Sequee, the only ant I mess with are the fireants. They don't do any damage to the plants, but they sting like crazy. Fortunately they have not adapted to the frozen north, YET. Regular ants, I don't bother much, except when they herd too many aphids.

I am sooooo sick of aphids I have half a mind to toss all of my brugs next fall! What do the ants have to do with them??? I did have ants and aphids in the fava beans. SaferSoap seemed to do the trick there.

Thanks all.

Some types of ants herd aphids and milk them. http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ythfacts/mystery/mystry43.htm

Fascinating - thank you for the link!!!