The Ants Go Marching ... Apple Tree Under Attack

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picante Helena, MT(Zone 4b) May 19, 2009

We've been using lots of ant dust, since they have large colonies under most of our trees. I wonder if the rubber mulch rings are aggravating the ant problem. Is that possible?

When I stuck our watering spike in to water the new apple tree (planted a year ago), I didn't have to push it in -- it fell in. I suspect the ants have tunneled out large spaces under there.

What should I do to fill them in? Throw compost on top and run the sprinkler? I'm still a newbie at fruit trees.

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Dlmcgrw Colton, CA(Zone 8b) May 20, 2009

picante, You did not say what kind of "ant powder" you are using. I occasionally have to clean out a colony and I use either Amdro or Spectricide. Both work slowly, but they kill the queen and wipe out the entire colony every time I have used them. Don

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picante Helena, MT(Zone 4b) May 20, 2009

Don, it's permethrin that's in the ant dust.
Both your products seem to be used for fire ants, which we don't have. We have plenty of other species, though. I can't actually identify any of them.

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jkochan Chandler, AZ(Zone 9b) May 20, 2009

I've found the Amdro works on all the ants typesI have here in Chandler. For the itty biity ones, I put the Amdro in a ziploc and crush it down to their size. Works like a charm.

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Dlmcgrw Colton, CA(Zone 8b) May 20, 2009

picante, Me too, both products work on all of the many varieties of ants that I have encountered. There may be some that it won't kill off, but you could probably get more information from the manufacturers. What I do know is that all the so called "home remedies" don't work. I have tried then all over time and they range from ineffective over time to "has no impact whatsoever on the ants". You know, the chili powder, grits, cream of wheat and other concoctions. Don

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picante Helena, MT(Zone 4b) May 21, 2009

OK, that's good to know! I'll graduate to one of those products if the permethrin doesn't control them well enough. It puts a large dent in them, for sure.

My other question is about ants excavating under the trees. Can they carve out large areas underground around the roots? That's what appears to have happened, both under the new apple tree and the little horse chestnut (now mostly dead). On both trees, the watering spike just "drops" in, with no resistance.

Julie

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