I noticed that ants are hovering around my pitcher plant. I do not know if they are attackig the plant or what but I am a little concerned......any thoughts?
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Possible Bug Infestation
- Thread starter recacho638
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My Leucos and Leuco hybrids have ants all over them and they actually almost all get caught(surprizingly!) but I still have way to much around my house. So Your plants should do fine.
Ants can also be a huge problem. They have been for me this summer. They 'farm' aphids, scale and worst of all mealy bugs. I now have a terrible infestation of mealy bugs on a good number of my plants thanks to the ants. I have tried as I might to get rid of the ants, sprays, sprinkles, etc... The mealy bugs are easy enough to get rid of. The greatest infestation seems to be on the crowns under the live spaghnum moss. I must warn you though, the cure for the mealy bugs is death to the spaghnum! I soak the pot in a deep bucket with malathion. The mealy bugs try and let go to float to the top but are still killed by the insecticide in the water. I have seen no adverse effect to the plants but immediate bleaching to the moss. One would think that you could remove the moss, treat the insects and replace the moss but I have found the moss to be infested as well. I am thinking to remove all the moss from the plants for this reason.
JB_OrchidGuy
Cardiac Nurse
Merit, sold as Bayer advanced at Lowes, will get rid of the scale, mealy bugs and aphids. So far it hasn't killed my live sphag either. Might want to try that. Seven dust and liquid has gotten rid of ants for me in the past and I have used it on an orchid that was infested, but I have never used it on CPs. So be careful.