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these bugs...
- Thread starter hayday
- Start date
Is it two different bugs or a juvenile stage and a mature stage? Can you provide more pictures of each?
dank.Frank
dank.Frank
Hookahhead
Active member
It looks a lot like one of these!
Last edited:
Hookahhead
Active member
They look a lot like ants / termites
I think those are ants. The antennae appear to have 'elbows'.
https://www.jcehrlich.com/termites/identification/
Terro Liquid Ant Bait is worth trying.
I mean, that's why I was asking if we were looking at two different things...
I saw ants as well, by default. I've been searching entomology sites for ant like soil dwelling pests, but, without any thing concrete to share.
Maybe describing their behavior would help. Do they only come to the outside of the pot after watering and then return to the soil or?
If the same bug, the mature bug does not look like an ant, so, there's that too. I keep researching for an answer if you can keep providing us with some more nuances about them...or clearer pictures.
dank.Frank
I saw ants as well, by default. I've been searching entomology sites for ant like soil dwelling pests, but, without any thing concrete to share.
Maybe describing their behavior would help. Do they only come to the outside of the pot after watering and then return to the soil or?
If the same bug, the mature bug does not look like an ant, so, there's that too. I keep researching for an answer if you can keep providing us with some more nuances about them...or clearer pictures.
dank.Frank
Okay, smart ass... ROFL. Won't lie. That made me chuckle. I see what you did there!
dank.Frank
The trail the insects form in the picture is certainly characteristic of ant behavior. Pharaoh ants and thief ants are likely suspects.
Here's the real question if they are ants - why are they there? Ants will farm root aphids for there secretions. You might have more than one issue on your hand. Is the plant otherwise healthy?
Crab meal contains chitin and the necessary bacteria to break that down. Ants exoskeleton is also made of chitin. The same bacteria will attach itself to ants, creating an effective IPM for several common outdoor garden pests. Works for indoor soils as well.
Just a thought.
dank.Frank
Crab meal contains chitin and the necessary bacteria to break that down. Ants exoskeleton is also made of chitin. The same bacteria will attach itself to ants, creating an effective IPM for several common outdoor garden pests. Works for indoor soils as well.
Just a thought.
dank.Frank
Another thought- do you use molasses in your grow, hayday?
Alrighty , The behavior is straight up ant. They trail and move very fast,i can't recall seeing the white rear torso in an ant though. They trail up my grow room wall and also I see them near my waterbucket where there is always 15 gallons ready for use.
As far as molasses, I don't use it daily but at least twice a month. My garden is pretty much water only home crafted soil using bone and blood meal, rabbit manure and mushroom compost. Worm castings and some Guano.
I appriciate the help and I feel better with ants being supect here. My room is 100% pesticide free so I don't want to put anything in there.
Thanks for the help
As far as molasses, I don't use it daily but at least twice a month. My garden is pretty much water only home crafted soil using bone and blood meal, rabbit manure and mushroom compost. Worm castings and some Guano.
I appriciate the help and I feel better with ants being supect here. My room is 100% pesticide free so I don't want to put anything in there.
Thanks for the help
Ants know where to get a good meal. 
Hookahhead
Active member
I’ve had ants take up residence in my pots on more than one occasion. Be careful with them, even if they aren’t doing any visible damage they may be feeding/destroying roots to make a new home. Pick up the container, they often like to lay eggs underneath.
I remember one incident where ants moved into an outdoor container. I was having minor issues with baby grasshoppers at the time, and the ants were actually patrolling the plant and killing the grasshoppers. I was so happy that nature stepped in to correct the problem. Like 10 days later the plant went to shit and died 2-3 days later. The ants had excavated out all underneath it and had cut into roots/stem in the process.
If they are sugar feeding ants, store bought or homemade ant bait (sugar and borax) works great. I have also had success sprinkling Saigon cinnamon on the soil and around the containers. Ants rely heavily on chemical communication and something in the cinnamon bothers them. Also as buzz pointed out make sure they are not farming aphids or scale insects somewhere on your plants.
I remember one incident where ants moved into an outdoor container. I was having minor issues with baby grasshoppers at the time, and the ants were actually patrolling the plant and killing the grasshoppers. I was so happy that nature stepped in to correct the problem. Like 10 days later the plant went to shit and died 2-3 days later. The ants had excavated out all underneath it and had cut into roots/stem in the process.
If they are sugar feeding ants, store bought or homemade ant bait (sugar and borax) works great. I have also had success sprinkling Saigon cinnamon on the soil and around the containers. Ants rely heavily on chemical communication and something in the cinnamon bothers them. Also as buzz pointed out make sure they are not farming aphids or scale insects somewhere on your plants.
