Ants, aphids, other pests are thriving in hot weather
For homeowners, population surge can be both blessing and a curse
This year’s hot, dry conditions haven’t only led to wildfires. Ants, aphids and other insects have taken advantage of Alberta’s arid weather, which can be both a blessing and a curse for homeowners.
“Field ants can be beneficial for gardens,” said Mike Jenkins, a biological sciences technician for the City of Edmonton. “They take other insects that people consider pests, like caterpillars and slugs, as prey.”
Worker ants will collect protein from these bugs to feed ant larvae. Adult ants require sugar, though, and that’s where the ants can become a problem. Ants will collect secretions from aphids, known as honeydew, as a food source.
“Ants will actually ranch up aphids and protect them. If you get a large enough aphid problem, they can kill plants,” said Jenkins.
Ants are also very territorial, according to Jenkins. “The field ants will bite people if they get too close, and will squirt formic acid on the bites,” he said.
Using broad-spectrum insecticides to get rid of ants can harm gardens even more.
“Insecticides that kill the ants will also kill ladybird beetles and lacewings, which naturally eat aphids,” said Jenkins. “Aphids can reproduce incredibly quickly, and people can end up with a huge infestation of aphids, which kills plants.”
Instead, Jenkins suggested homeowners should consider safely moving ant nests.
This can be done in several ways, including slowly trickling water from a garden hose into the nest, which forces the worker ants to move the nest to drier ground.