aphids on lotus

[Sgooosh]

Hello, there are hundreds of aphids on my pond lotus every single day, even though I manually get rid of them every day.
It seems that the ants are carrying them there.
how should i fix this problem? will ant pesticides work?

 

[Uberhoust]

I will be watching this, I have the same with my Frogbit in one of my inside tanks. In my outdoor ponds I spray the water lily leaves every so often with a garden sprayer washing the aphids into the water where the minnows eat them. I would not use any pesticide near the ponds, but you might be able to use diatomous earth nearby which does seem to prevent ants from crossing. I don't know the affect of diatomaceous earth on ponds. The mechanism for working is that it punctures the cuticle of the insects leading to possibly pain and avoidance but also causing dehydration of the insect. I don't know what it would do if it got into the pond. We use it on our deck where we have humming bird feeders that attract ants, we have ants around but they now seem to avoid the areas around the feeders.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

On the above water parts, I assume? Many species of ants run aphid farms. Aphids produce a waste product that is high in sugar, which ants like to eat. The ants will find existing aphids and even "plant" them on new plants, then protect them from predators. It isn't that different from what we do with cows and sheep. We used to get this on our wild plumbs all the time.

There's no point adding beneficial insects like ladybugs or lacewings, because the ants will just kill them or drive them off. If you want to get rid of the aphids, first you have to get rid of the ants. I'd be reluctant to use DE in a pond if it had inverts in it; it doesn't seem harmful to fish. There are various other ways to do get rid of ants, though; I recommend this one.

 

[Sgooosh]

On the above water parts, I assume? Many species of ants run aphid farms. Aphids produce a waste product that is high in sugar, which ants like to eat. The ants will find existing aphids and even "plant" them on new plants, then protect them from predators. It isn't that different from what we do with cows and sheep. We used to get this on our wild plumbs all the time.

There's no point adding beneficial insects like ladybugs or lacewings, because the ants will just kill them or drive them off. If you want to get rid of the aphids, first you have to get rid of the ants. I'd be reluctant to use DE in a pond if it had inverts in it; it doesn't seem harmful to fish. There are various other ways to do get rid of ants, though; I recommend this one.

alright， on my way to get a metal kiln right now!

jokes aside, the ants only put aphids on leaves that are the same level water is on. i sprinlked egg shell powder on the rim of the pond so ants hopeflly won't crawl in, while I wait for diatom earth

 

[WhistlingBadger]

alright， on my way to get a metal kiln right now!

jokes aside, the ants only put aphids on leaves that are the same level water is on. i sprinlked egg shell powder on the rim of the pond so ants hopeflly won't crawl in, while I wait for diatom earth

I think if you sprinkled DE around the pond, it would be fine. Just try not to get it in the water. But a little bit shouldn't hurt your fish.

 

[Colin_T]

DO NOT USE ANT PESTICIDE ANYWHERE NEAR PONDS OR WATERWAYS.

There are 2 main pesticides (Bifenthrin and Fiprinol) used to kill ants and both are extremely toxic to fish and other organisms (including all aquatic organisms). Bifenthrin is lethal and I mean lethal to anything in the animal kingdom. I was poisoned by this stuff in January and was blind for 3 days after and have lost the hair and skin off my legs. I also have blood noses virtually every day now and have major issues with my throat and lungs. And I wasn't using the stuff, I just happened to go outside to see what the noise was and got gassed. We have no frogs or lizards around here anymore since the spraying and most of the birds and insects in the area have gone too.

If you have aphids on water plants or any plants, knock them into the water for the fish to eat. If you have scale insects on plants brought in by ants, put the plants in a tray of water so the ants can't get to the plants. You can also put the plants in a small tray and put that in a bigger tray. Then pour some white vinegar in the bigger tray. Ants can't stand the smell of it and it burns them. So if you can find their nest, pour a 2 litre bottle of white vinegar on it and no more ants. The vinegar will also kill the lawn or any plants it gets on so be careful around your pond plants.

 

[Uberhoust]

A public information comment on DE, http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/deg... toxicity evaluations for wildlife were found.

I have used the stuff for years around the perimeter of the house. Keeps ants out, but haven't seen it cause any issues to my knowledge, we still have ants, they wander around the edges of the DE but don't cross it.

That said for my ponds I will just continue to use the sprayer to knock the aphids into the water.

 

[Uberhoust]

Then pour some white vinegar in the bigger tray. Ants can't stand the smell of it and it burns them.

I did not know that vinegar was a deterrent to insects, I will have to try it. We have a type of ant here that produces a defensive liquid which is mostly formic acid, from what I have read, that acid sort of smells like vinegar, maybe that is why it is affective.

 

[Sgooosh]

DO NOT USE ANT PESTICIDE ANYWHERE NEAR PONDS OR WATERWAYS.

There are 2 main pesticides (Bifenthrin and Fiprinol) used to kill ants and both are extremely toxic to fish and other organisms (including all aquatic organisms). Bifenthrin is lethal and I mean lethal to anything in the animal kingdom. I was poisoned by this stuff in January and was blind for 3 days after and have lost the hair and skin off my legs. I also have blood noses virtually every day now and have major issues with my throat and lungs. And I wasn't using the stuff, I just happened to go outside to see what the noise was and got gassed. We have no frogs or lizards around here anymore since the spraying and most of the birds and insects in the area have gone too.

If you have aphids on water plants or any plants, knock them into the water for the fish to eat. If you have scale insects on plants brought in by ants, put the plants in a tray of water so the ants can't get to the plants. You can also put the plants in a small tray and put that in a bigger tray. Then pour some white vinegar in the bigger tray. Ants can't stand the smell of it and it burns them. So if you can find their nest, pour a 2 litre bottle of white vinegar on it and no more ants. The vinegar will also kill the lawn or any plants it gets on so be careful around your pond plants.

Yes, we have some pesticide experts in our household and I know bifenthrin can kill everything.
I'm sorry about your accident, I hope you can recover.,

What do you mean put plants in a tray? I have water lilies in the ground, do you mean floaters?

I feed all the aphids to fish every single day, but they keep coming back worse than ever...

I think if you sprinkled DE around the pond, it would be fine. Just try not to get it in the water. But a little bit shouldn't hurt your fish.

Today I think I stopped the infestation.
I found the ant nest, and drowned it with water. when the ants were escaping, I fumed hundreds of them with rubbing alcohol.
I put a lot of egg shell powder around the rim and the ants slip and fall when touching it.

 

[Alice B]

When I have an aphid problem caused by ants, I locate the anthill, Mix up some beneficial nematodes in water per directions, pour appropriate quantity on anthill in evening. I haven't seen an aphid on my milkweed since I put nematodes down. as long as ground is kept watered, they live and keep eating ants

 

[Colin_T]

What do you mean put plants in a tray? I have water lilies in the ground, do you mean floaters?

Water lilies can't go in trays but if you had plants around the edges of the pond that were getting infested with ants, you put their pots on a tray and put they tray in a bigger tray. Then put some vinegar between the 2 trays.

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I used to make ant napalm out of kerosene and oil. Mix it up and pour it down the ant hole, then step back and throw a match on it. Children should not do this.

 

[Sgooosh]

Water lilies can't go in trays but if you had plants around the edges of the pond that were getting infested with ants, you put their pots on a tray and put they tray in a bigger tray. Then put some vinegar between the 2 trays.

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I used to make ant napalm out of kerosene and oil. Mix it up and pour it down the ant hole, then step back and throw a match on it. Children should not do this.

woah, that's a crazy idea. It might just work out, since the pond is on a lava rock area.
what type of oil are you talking about?

do you think it will work if I fume the ants with smoke from a burning pile of leaves or something?

 

[Colin_T]

I used engine oil but any oil mixed (50/50) with petrol (gas for the Americans) or kerosene will burn. Even if you don't light it up, the mixture runs into the tunnels and sticks to the ants and the fumes can kill them.

Bleach can also be used on its own. I currently use a cheap brand of toilet cleaner (see link below). It is basically bleach and sodium bicarbonate and is a thick liquid. I pour it on an ant hole and let it drain down. Repeat 6-10 times in 5 minutes to get the stuff down the hole, then walk away. Do all the ant holes in the area at the same time. It melts the ants and the fumes gas them, a double whammy.

https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/183959/strike-pro-antibacterial-bleach-gel-toilet-cleaner-lemon-blast

 

[Sgooosh]

I used engine oil but any oil mixed (50/50) with petrol (gas for the Americans) or kerosene will burn. Even if you don't light it up, the mixture runs into the tunnels and sticks to the ants and the fumes can kill them.

Bleach can also be used on its own. I currently use a cheap brand of toilet cleaner (see link below). It is basically bleach and sodium bicarbonate and is a thick liquid. I pour it on an ant hole and let it drain down. Repeat 6-10 times in 5 minutes to get the stuff down the hole, then walk away. Do all the ant holes in the area at the same time. It melts the ants and the fumes gas them, a double whammy.

https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/183959/strike-pro-antibacterial-bleach-gel-toilet-cleaner-lemon-blast

sounds good, I will find some type of cheap oils to flush the ants.
will the bleach fumes harm fish if it lands in the water?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

All of Colin's suggestions sound more fun (though none approach the molten aluminum concept) but simply pouring a kettle of boiling water into the entrances will probably be enough to wipe out most ant colonies. Probably much safer for the environment, too.