Cindy, the only time we have any significant ants in the garden is when we have the aphids. We've been able to knock the aphids back by using Neem. Doesn't get rid of them altogether but keeps that at bay enough where we can harvest something. And like you, it's only on the Purplehull's even though the Blackeyes are planted right next to them along the trellis. I mentioned your situation to DH the other night and I had wondered if they might be attracted to the color but they show up when the pods are still green so that's not it. We're not planting any Cowpeas this fall because I'm tired of the aphids. :/ TimeTraveler - I'm just over the bridge from you and I think I've seen those green bugs in our garden as well. I just thought they were juvenile Stink Bugs. We have nothing out there right now but two small pepper plants so I'll have to keep my eye out next season and hopefully it will be identified by then.

Hi Julie! As you already know, it is very hard to keep aphids off of all organically raised leaf crops because you can't spray with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or superfine dormant oil. I've never tried spraying lettuce with a homemade garlic or pepper spray as I assume the garlic/pepper spray would ruin the lettuce for human consumption. I'm not sure there is much you can do at this point, but there are a couple of things you can do 'next time'. Predatory insects are your best bet, but they won't show up until you have a large aphid population to attract them and by then it is probably too late to save the current crop. Next year, or in the fall if you grow fall lettuce, you could try releasing beneficial insects like lady bugs, aphid midges, green lacewings or parasitic wasps. The timing is tricky, though, as you have to release them before the aphids get out of hand, but you can't release them too early or they won't have anything to eat and they'll leave. You can also plant pollen and nectar plants near your lettuce and they will help attract the beneficial insects. Spraying with a stream of water works temporarily, but must be repeated daily. Since aphids carry viral diseases that they transmit to the plants as they feed, you can still have plant damage even if you are spraying with water daily. Some people have had success with mulching their leaf crop beds with a silvery reflective mulch. In the 'old days' they did this by laying down aluminum foil as a mulch around their plants. Some people used to buy that building construction paper that has brown paper on one size and shiny foil on the other. Nowadays you can buy a silver mulch from companies like Territorial Seed. That might be an option for future years. Plants fed excess nitrogen tend to be more attractive to aphids, but since you garden organically, I can't imagine your plants have been fed an excess of nitrogen. You also can keep aphids off your leaf crops by raising them under floating row covers that are well anchored so aphids cannot find a way under the row covers. That's about all I can think of right now. Dawn

Why not use a good spray with the water hose? Once they are knocked off their mouth parts are ripped off. That and if your not squirmish just take and squish them on the spot with your fingers. No aphids here yet, but the garden is full of ladybugs.... Vera

Lots of discussions here about this specific question that the search will pull up for you. Generally ants pose no problems in a garden and are considered neutrals if not beneficials. The exception is fire ants. Dave Ants in the garden discussions