hi there,
Sometimes sugar ants will get into your pots and set up housekeeping. They might even farm aphids on your plants. Citrus aphids are darker than some of the other types. Anyhow if you get an ant bait specifically for sugar ants (Home Depot or somewhere should carry it) that should do the trick. Put it down on the dirt You can also place the bait inside a mason jar, screw the lid on and poke several holes in the lid with a nail and lay the jar on its side on the dirt near the tree trunk. This is so ants can get in and out but may deter pets and small children from the poison. Good luck
~SJN

I sprayed malathion and it seemed detered them for a while. malathion also kill bug if you are not against chemical. The ants carried bugs all over the tree and infected also other trees so I had to kill them. Malathion also killed the bugs which produce food to them. I wonder the pellets to kill ant from Home Depot is toxic for the tree or not. I usually followed their trail to their nest and spray into their nest. I also used ground egg shells or crab shells on the top soil. Some people suggest using grit, diatomite,...I will try this time. Good luck to you.

Anyone who purchases and uses pesticides of any kind should take the time to carefully read the label. Most of the information you need to use a product safely and effectively will be on the label.

jrdribble, are your plants in containers? What is your general location? Have you examined your plants for scale insects, mealybugs, and aphids?

One problem with the ant baits mentioned earlier is that they are often attractive to non-target animals, like birds, pets, squirrels, etc. Many of them are not labeled for outside use for that reason. Inside, YES!!

The pelletized ant baits are typically not supposed to be used near food crops, but the information will be on the label regarding citrus, etc.

Hi gang. It seems like the problem is mealybug....at least it's a big part of the problem. I've been picking them off my plants for a month now. It's amazing how quickly they come back. If I had been more knowledgeable about what I was facing a little earlier, I could have kept the problem to a minimum. But you guys know what happens when you don't act quickly....the problem compounds itself. That's ok....I'm still a relative newcomer to the garden world so I won't beat myself up too badly.

Here's an interesting fix I've researched: You can buy these mail order "mealybug destroyer" ladybugs that apparently feast on the little buggers. I'm tempted, but before I take the plunge I want to try one more organic spray called Jungle Rain....it promises to do the job and it's much cheaper. (Probably a rip-off...we'll see.)

Anyway, the real bummer is that my citrus plants....though quite healthy and growing, have stopped blooming. The simple fact is they're not getting enough direct sunlight, but I live in a condo and can't change the direction my balcony faces. (west)

So....can I get a great big "awwwww" out of you?
:)

The ladybugs you've seen will not be an appropriate solution for you. For one, they won't thrive inside (unless you have a greenhouse), and for two...as soon as you release them outside they are likely to fly, fly away! They are great for orchards, greenhouses, etc.

A tried and true remedy for mealybugs is one part rubbing alcohol to three parts water, applied as a mist from a plant sprayer. It will get rid of adults, nymphs, and even do a number on eggs. It will not harm citrus and most other plants, but you could do a leaf test to be sure.

Since we now know that your plants are in containers on your balcony, I'd also suggest that you purchase some ant baits. The boric acid/sugar syrup baits work incredibly well, and in a matter of a few hours all of your ants will be gone. Again, these should not be placed where a non-target critter can get into them, but the ants will swarm this bait, taking it back to the nest where, once it's fed to everyone, will kill the entire nest.

As always, read and follow directions carefully.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:650716}}