Thanks to all responses. I am brand new on the Butterfly Garden Forum, so please bear with me while I learn the system. Thanks to runmead & christie for the Terro suggestion. I will look for it. Also like the Gain detergent idea from organic kitten--sounds like it's worth a try also. Elisabeth: Great input and good info on the Senna. I occasionally do raise some of the eggs to chrysalis/butterflies. I make butterfly garden "hatching jars" for the children at my grandson's school. WE do butterfly garden walks (my garden) during the spring. My sennas and casias are also covered with eggs & cats. I really need to prune, in prep. for the storms heading our way, but can't do it while there are so many new babies. Rhizo 1: My problem ants are mostly very tiny or little larger black ones. No fire ants on my host plants. Siam: My best nectar plants are the fire bush, jathropa, cosmos (re-seeds itself every year and can reach a height of 8+ feet during the summer), native floss flower (ageratum?)-- please excuse my lack of proper names--spanish needle, & pentas. Host plants: scarlet milkweek, several varities of the passion vine--one a native that comes up by itself in my garden, key lime & calamondin, cassias & sennas. I also plant parsley, dill & rue. Oh yes, I have a large Dutchman's Pipe that the Gold rimmed swollowtail loves. Maybe some spider problems on this. During our winter/spring growing season I plant nasturshims and have collards in my vegetable garden. I would be interested in what you grow and what butterflies we might have in common. Thanks again to all responses.

Aphids are a food source for Ants. The aphids secrete a sugary stubstance that the ants like. The ants will actually protect the aphids from predator insects and move them from plant to plant. Get rid of the aphids and the ants will disappear as well. Get some orthenex, disease and insect control. Stuff works great. You can use it on everything. Just use the fine mist setting on your sprayer and don't forget the undersides of the leaves and spray the ground around the plants as well. X

Or scales (look just like they sound) may be on stem or around the leaf vein where it connects to the stem. Like woohooman said, they are there for a reason. I've only see them when aphids or scales have been present (let's me know time for a misting of neem oil!). Good luck!

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