Ants, in addition to their obvious benefits in nature, can cause irreparable harm in the country, in the open ground and in the greenhouse. They settle in whole colonies, harm fruit and vegetable crops, carry harmful aphids, which in turn destroys crops.
It is not easy to escort uninvited guests, you will have to make a lot of efforts to protect the vegetables and not harm the plantings. The sooner they are discovered, the more likely they are to be destroyed. The main thing is to establish the cause of the appearance of insects and take measures so that the problem does not arise in the future, and the ants disappear forever.
There are several methods of control: chemical agents, physical elimination and agronomic technologies.
A greenhouse is an ideal breeding ground for pests, because the stable temperature regime and the smell of cultivated plants attract them.
Often gardeners use physical methods of influence: they dig up the soil, pour boiling water over the anthills, and sprinkle it abundantly with wood ash. Such measures give a short-term result, are not always effective: pests usually return.
Getting rid of garden ants in the greenhouse can guarantee the use of special-purpose industrial products. It is recommended to process the room in early spring so as not to harm the seedlings and to avoid the ingress of harmful elements into the body. The most common among summer residents:
- "Absolute-gel";
- "Thunder-2";
- "Ant-eater";
- "Combat";
- "Muratsid";
- "Bazudin";
- "A great warrior".
The industry produces a variety of gels, sprays, powders for these purposes. There are ultrasonic repellents that are harmless to people, but they act on insects depressingly, forcing them to leave the territory.
In a short time, ants are able to populate the greenhouse with a colony of aphids, which is used as a source of sugar. At the first signs of its appearance on vegetable crops, it is necessary to get rid of it in the near future, thereby depriving the ants of food and protecting the future harvest.
A good effect is given by the treatment of places where insects accumulate with quicklime, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate. Gardeners use a solution of carbolic acid and chlorine. The most common method is borax or boric acid; they are sprinkled on the places where ant colonies are spread.
The constant loosening of the soil causes discomfort to ant colonies, they are looking for a more suitable place where no one will bother and leave the previous one.
Reasons for the appearance of ants in the greenhouse
Before poisoning ants in a greenhouse, you need to understand the reasons that prompted them to settle in this particular place. There are several main points. Firstly, the main reason is the presence of an anthill not far from the greenhouse itself. In this case, "smart" ants have gotten used to using greenhouses as an incubator for aphids, so they periodically visit there for food. This is why aphids should be kept out of the greenhouse. And if it has already been found, then the premises should be disposed of as soon as possible. To do this, it is recommended to sprinkle garlic, cut into small pieces, along the beds. And the anthill located next to the greenhouse will have to be destroyed or moved.
The second reason is the appearance of a nest in the greenhouse itself.In this case, it will be quite difficult to find an anthill, since it does not look like a well-known cone. In this case, only small burrows in the ground will be visible, under which there are many moves. A polycarbonate greenhouse is the best place for ants to live, ideal conditions are created there: the soil is loosened, there are fresh plantings of succulent vegetation on which aphids can settle.
Scouts can appear in the greenhouse - single individuals of black ants looking for a new place to live for the entire colony. You need to try to destroy, or drive them out. In addition, a large number of organic products can be found in the greenhouse, which have an enticing aroma for ants.
Where did they come from, who are they, why?
Every living creature is looking for that place in the sun that promises ideal conditions for life. The reasons why uninvited guests suddenly appear in the greenhouse are commonplace.
- The ants just passed by. We saw a greenhouse - a cozy comfortable house, went to eat and explore the situation. I liked it because I stayed. In this case, it is important for the hosts to kick out the "guests on a spree" in time.
- An ant "new building" appeared on the plot - a rookery, and the greenhouse became a "suburban" plantation for growing a source of sweet nectar. In such a situation, the first step is to quickly get rid of the aphids.
- After a successful reconnaissance, the criminal insects first thought, and then made a "jailbreak": they made a tunnel into the greenhouse. It is not so easy to find it, there will be no ordinary anthill: instead of it, the underground kingdom is successfully growing. The task of the summer resident is timely detection.
In Russia, 3 types of invaders are more common:
- brown;
- red ants (both species are forest ants);
- black (garden).
The proximity of the site to the forest is the reason why you can expect an early visit of red insects, but they are not too interested in the greenhouse. She is a target for black brothers who are used to building anthills in the middle of the beds.
Why are ants in a greenhouse dangerous?
If ants appear in the greenhouse, you definitely need to know how to get rid of them. But at the same time, it should be remembered that they also have benefits. pros the presence of ants in the greenhouse is as follows:
- These insects destroy other pests and their larvae. This is especially true for aphids and spider mites.
- When ants build their nests, they loosen the soil, which improves the flow of oxygen to the plant roots.
- The waste products of these insects improve the quality of the soil due to the presence of nitrogen and potassium in their composition.
However, from the presence of ants in the greenhouse, there is minuses:
- The seeds are eaten so that seedlings do not appear.
- They feed on sprouts due to which young plants die.
- Colonies of aphids are created, since ants need sugar for normal life, and they extract it from these pests.
- They sting painfully, so they pose a threat to people and pets. During the bite, they inject formic acid, which can provoke an allergic reaction.
If we compare all the advantages and disadvantages of having ants in a greenhouse, then people come to the conclusion that it is better to get rid of such "neighbors".
Useful Tips
- The fight against ants can last for a long time, since they settle very quickly and change the nest for the uterus. Take action in an environmentally friendly and gentle way. If folk remedies do not help, then only then go to chemical compositions.
- Special products may contain substances that will kill other insects, in particular bees, which are necessary for pollination.
- Remember that chemical treatment of anthills puts pets and children at risk.
- The greenhouse crop must also be environmentally friendly.
Greenhouse ant control methods
For many people, the actual question is how to get rid of ants in the greenhouse forever, but without harming plantings and crops. There are many techniques and drugs that can help cope with this problem.
Physical methods of excretion
First, you need to find the places where pests are most likely to gather. As a rule, these are old boards, slate, roofing material. If you remove old and rotten wood from the greenhouse, this will deprive ants of normal living conditions, so that they will leave this place.
It is recommended to dig up the soil throughout the greenhouse in order to find the nest itself together with the uterus. Destroying it will fix the original problem. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to dig up soil in a greenhouse in spring and autumn.
If ant passages have been found, it is recommended to pour boiling water over them. You can also use baking soda, ash, quicklime.
Greenhouse ant remedies
Many people think about the best way to poison ants in a greenhouse - with chemistry or folk remedies. In specialized stores there are many drugs, the action of which is aimed at combating various insects, they are quite strong and more effective than folk recipes. Be sure to follow the instructions on the package. There are such groups of pesticides:
- Prolonged gels... This option is considered one of the most popular, since its active components enter the insect's body directly. It is best to apply these gels prior to planting.
- Powders... They need to cover the places where the pest accumulates. The powder layer must be at least 40 mm. On top of such a bait, you need to fill in soils.
- Crayons... Another common group of funds. They give off an odor that is unpleasant for ants, so that insects will quickly leave the greenhouse.
The most popular drugs for these pests are Ant-eater, Muracid, Muravyin, Thunder-2... They have in common the presence of diazinone as the main component. There is also a separate drug with this name. The substance acts by the contact-intestinal method. It penetrates with food, as well as through the upper integument. The insect does not die immediately, but only after 1-2 days.
In addition, powders are great. Expel and Delicia... When using pesticides, you need to remember that they are dangerous not only for ants, but also for bees and domestic animals.
Repulsive scents that ants don't like
Fighting ants in a greenhouse involves not only active but also passive actions. It is recommended to carry out prophylaxis in order to prevent the appearance of such parasites in the greenhouse. To do this, you can use pungent aromas that cause anxiety in insects. The ants will not die, but they will leave the greenhouse. For example, you can use the following natural remedies:
- cinnamon;
- mint (exceptionally wild);
- sagebrush;
- sunflower oil;
- herring;
- tobacco dust (poured into ant nests and passages);
- garlic;
- ammonia.
Consider some folk methods for removing ants from the greenhouse in more detail:
Garlic: the arrows of this plant are recommended to braid the foundation of the building, the racks. These places will be avoided by the ants. You can grind the garlic cloves on a grater, mix with sawdust, and then sprinkle the anthills themselves with such a remedy.
Ammonia: It is necessary to dissolve 100 ml of this product in 10 liters of boiled water. Then moisten napkins in the solution and put them near the aisles, nests. You can dissolve 2 liters of such a substance in a bucket of water. This composition is used to water the plant.
For dusting plants in a greenhouse, you can still use ammonium nitrate, ground pepper, slaked lime, ash.
Folk remedies against ants in the greenhouse
Folk remedies for ants in a greenhouse are also considered very effective, besides, they have been tested for centuries. Here are the most popular remedies:
- Jam traps: in a plastic bottle, the bottom is cut off and the walls inside are coated with jam. The trap is laid near the anthill for 2 days. Insects will crawl in and stick. You just have to pour boiling water over them.
- Aromatic herbs: Ants have been proven to be intolerant to the odors of certain herbs (mint, cloves, wormwood). You can lay out bunches of plants and sprinkle them on anthills. In this way, you can drive the ants out of the greenhouse, but they will find themselves new housing outside, for example, in a flower bed.
- Potatoes: Ants are not able to digest starch, so potatoes are great at fighting off such pests. It is enough just to peel the potatoes, cut them and spread them in places where insects accumulate.
- Kerosene: To prepare a solution against ants, 2 small spoons of kerosene are added to a bucket of water and this composition is sprayed on all places in the greenhouse.
- Ammonia not only scares off ants, but is also able to destroy them. It is necessary to dissolve 2 tablespoons of ammonia in 5 liters of water. Then this composition is supposed to fill all the ant passages in the soil. You can soak a large piece of cloth in the solution and cover the soil with it. In addition, it is recommended to spray the plants, but with a milder solution. You will need 10 ml of ammonia per 10 liters of water.
- One of the oldest methods is the use of millet... It is enough just to put heaps of millet on the nests and wait. The ants will try to eat everything, but their stomachs are not able to digest the millet. The method is not only effective and cheap, but also completely safe for plants, humans and animals.
- Boric acid also used against ants in greenhouses. Mix 50 g of granulated sugar, 50 ml of water and 5 g of boric acid. Pour the resulting composition into saucers and place in the greenhouse. It is necessary to ensure that children and pets do not come into contact with the bait.
- To combat ants in a greenhouse, an ordinary one is also suitable. baking soda: a couple of tablespoons of the powder are dissolved in 2 liters of boiling water and the anthill is poured with liquid. You can make a dry mixture of baking soda and powdered sugar and pour it into the nest.
- Another effective folk way to destroy earth ants is to use vinegar with vegetable oil. The ingredients are mixed 1 to 1 and the resulting mixture is poured into the ant nest in the greenhouse.
Prevention measures
Preventing the growth of ant colonies is easier than fighting them later. For prevention, it is necessary to weed the soil in time, remove dry foliage, uproot dry stumps, and process every section of the garden. These insects do not like to be disturbed and settle where the earth "walks". In addition, ants come after the aphid, so destroy it immediately.
Getting rid of ants on the site, you must remember that reducing their number will lead to an increase in the number of harmful insects such as thrips, caterpillars, ticks and other pests. Therefore, in the fight against them, you need to know when to stop.
Greenhouse ant species
There are several varieties of ants that live in suburban villages, including greenhouses. Most often these are black garden, forest red, brown meadow and sometimes yellow ants. The harm from all of them is about the same - they eat the sprouts and seeds of young plants, destroy the root system of plantings, plant aphids in a greenhouse, and besides, they bite painfully. In country gardens, black ants are most often found, which is why they are called "garden".
Red forest
It is quite difficult to remove red small ants in a greenhouse. In most cases, they are forest dwellers, and appear only in dachas located close to the forest.But they also prefer to settle and establish colonies in houses and apartments.
Better protection against small red ants is prevention. It is recommended to dissolve 5 g of baking soda in 1 liter of pure water, and then add 30 flaxseed oil. This solution must be spilled onto the soil in the greenhouse. Processing is supposed to be carried out 2 weeks before planting. This solution will force the pests to leave their nest.
Black garden
To kill black garden ants in a greenhouse, it is recommended to prepare a solution of 50 g of 9% vinegar and 50 g of any vegetable oil. Then water the places where pests accumulate with such a composition. They will quickly leave the greenhouse. Black ants are considered the most common species on the planet, but in a greenhouse they must be distinguished from the larger reaper ant.
Yellow pharaohs
Getting yellow ants out of your greenhouse is difficult. They prefer to parasitize in people's homes and other outbuildings. Such pests are also called pharaoh ants, since they were first discovered in the crypts of Egypt. Within human homes, they organize large nests that interconnect. It is difficult to destroy them because if one nest is corroded, then its inhabitants will simply move to a new one. It is recommended to treat all areas with Thunder-2. The product must be spread out in places where pests accumulate.
Red fiery
There are various ways to kill red ants in the greenhouse. Their homeland is South America. The people call them fiery. They prefer to live in humid soil. They feed on plants and other insects. They are considered very aggressive, with a potent poison. To remove such parasites from the greenhouse, it is recommended to use chemicals. The poison is supposed to be dissolved in a liter of water, and then slowly poured into the holes in the ground where insects are hiding. Then cover with plastic wrap.
Getting rid of ground and garden ants in a greenhouse is also quite simple. The main thing is to open the uterus and destroy it. In this case, pesticides are ineffective, since they affect only those insects that have been hit from above. Even if all adults die, then new offspring will fill this gap. So it is the uterus that needs to be destroyed.
What to do if ants appear in the greenhouse - this is an urgent question for many gardeners and gardeners. Now there are many drugs and methods that will help get rid of such a misfortune. But before using them, you need to deal with the appearance of the new residents and the reasons that prompted them to appear in the greenhouse.
