Ants Loving my Squash

Howdy.

I recently invented a highly effective organic squash bug control system and am very pleased with it. Normally, my squash plants die early, but now that they're actually growing I'm noticing little ants all over the flowers. The cukes and melons appear to have the same problem -- little ants everywhere.

  1. Is this a problem? Are they impacting pollination? Should I be trying to kill them?
  2. If so, how can I safely do this without threatening bees and other beneficials? I garden organically, but as a general rule, I avoid even organic pesticides

I live in Dallas/Fort Worth, and these are not fireants... they're about half the size of a normal fireant.

Also, I do have fruit... but I don't know if it's in spite of these little guys or not. Very tasty, by the way.

FYI, my organic squash bug control works for cuke beetles also: I reward my kids with an extended bedtime for killing them. Squash bug = 1 minute; squash bug egg cluster = 2 minutes; cuke beetle = 1 minute. One of my kids racked up 22 minutes one night.

Thanks, Chris Keller, TX

Reply to
Chris Hamel
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Those are probably harvester or sugar ants. Leave them be. They are aiding in pollination. ;-)

I'd pay the kids in nickles for that service.

Reply to
Omelet

My grandma called those sugar ants. There's a few in my garden as well. They're harmless. Don't really affect the garden except to loosen the soil a bit.

Those ants used to come in from her windows sill to the adjacent table. If you spilled something sweet, they would be all over it. Toting it back outside. She would become infuriated if anyone would try to mash them. Dave

Reply to
Dave

Ahhhh.....yet another recipient of the Good Father Award.

Blessings upon you and your children!

Charlie

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"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, no culture comparable to that of the garden..... But though an old man, I am but a young gardener." - Thomas Jefferson

Reply to
Charlie

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