Ants are attracted to the
honeydew exceted by aphids, scale and mealy bug. The ants will often
distribute these pests amongst the plants.
Treatment:
Environmentally freindly:
Leave some sugared water near
the infected plants. Treat infected plants as described in other
pages.
Chemical:
Spray the ants nest with
Chlorpiryfos, Baythroid or Metasystox.
Left:
An ant on an Adenium leaf. Ants often look after
insects, like scale (note the brown scale in the image) and aphids, in exchange for some of the honeydew that
they excrete.
Left:
An ant on an Adenium leaf. Ants often look after
insects, like scale (note the brown scale in the image) and aphids, in exchange for some of the honeydew that
they excrete.