Ants Eating Lotus Plants

[peridot]

I need some help. I have a few lotus in pots on my roof. Recently the ants have been eating the leaves, just at the point where the stem meets the leaf. They come in a swarm and eat a hole around the connecting point, and the leaf dies in a few days. They don't bother the leaves that are completely floating in water, but any leaf that reaches the edge of the pot is their next victim. They have killed one big lotus already.

Any ideas on how to keep them out? I even resorted to spreading some ant poison around the pots, but they ignore it. I use ground cinnamon to keep ants from nesting in my potted plants, but they are very persistent.

[opalhort]

Are you sure they are ants and not some other look-alike critters?

We have plant nurseries and ants are in general not a problem.

Try the following:

Spray green Baygon around the base and rim of the pots (NOT on the plants!) and make sure the posts and leaves do not touch any wall or other plants which could provide a bridge for ants.

Try to find the source of the ants by following their trail and eradicate them there.

In our nursery we use a chemical locally sold under the name S85 to get rid of all sorts of pests, including ants. It's a white powder to be mixed with water and can be sprayed directly on the plants without any harm to the plants.

If you don't have a pump-action hand spray use an old windex spray bottle to apply it, especially under the affected leaves and around the pots.

opalhort

[peridot]

I am sure they are ants. They also farm aphids on my green beans, but I know how to deal with that. I have never seen them eating a plant before. I wonder if they are farming something so small I can't see it on the lotus, but they are voraceous.

I hesitate to use chemicals, but will try it if I can't find a let toxic way.

[samuijimmy]

I would doubt too, if it is ants eating the lotus... but after other creatures on the leaves, which are probably eating the leaves (most likely at night!) .

I doubt too, that they have killed the plants, as most plants do go into a "dormant" period & the lotus will regrow from the base.

I was recently down at Thali Noi lake in Songkhla where the lotus and water lilies grow by the millions, but compared with trips there in say, April or July there was not much to see blooming in January & the leaves very sparse too.

Let nature take it's course.... new growth should emerge soon! Many plants are not perfect looking all the time~ ! Be patient & you'll see!

Edited February 4, 2010 by samuijimmy