For example, Texas Cooperative Extension says that strawberries and other fruit that touch the ground are especially suceptible. Of course. Strawberries that touch the ground tend to get infected with fungi, which causes the breakdown of the fruit, leading to opportunists like woodlice to clean out the infected and dead tissue. If you were to get rid of the woodlice, you'd find your strawberries had bad spots instead. Anyone whose grown strawberries knows that you're not supposed to let strawberries touch the ground; that's why mulching strawberry beds with a dry mulch is so important. If you hang around these forums long enough (and you know who you all are ;) It gets pretty easy to figure out who the real gardeners are Oh, so I'm not a real gardener, then. Thanks. I suppose I don't grow strawberries, either? I suppose I didn't just pick some yesterday? Here's one day's picking of last year's "imaginary" crop (staggered harvest): http://www.daughtersoftiresias.org/images/2006/06.%20June/Strawberries/small/

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.

Carpenter ants need all their cohorts to survive. And that includes the egg-laying queen. It's a very unlikely occurrence to receive the entire "family" in mulch.

I planted a new row of strawberries this year and mulched the whole area and made it bird proof but am noticing that the ants sure do love their new home. Since I will not be harvesting any berries this year is there something I can do to make it so unpleasant that they will leave the area or should i just nuke em with some pesticide for this year? Also believe there may be an issue with earwigs eating the leaves. Thanks