Are ants (black and small) beneficial or harmful? The past 3 days I have noticed maybe about 15 ants on the tree, today there are a bit more. I don't know if I should leave them alone or hose them off. They certainately seem to be having a good time for themselves.

Thanks

They are normally a sign of scale or aphids. Check you tree for any signs of scale, aphidsor other pests. if they are fire ants, they can destroy the bark.

""Controlling Ants
Ants protect scale insects from predators and parasites in order to farm the honeydew produced by the scales. To improve biological control, keep ants out of trees and shrubs by banding the trunks with sticky substances such as Tanglefoot or by using ant baits. Protect young or sensitive trunks (especially citrus) from possible injury by wrapping the trunk with a collar of duct tape or fabric tree wrap and coating this with the sticky material. Check the sticky material every week or two and stir it with a stick to prevent the material from becoming covered with debris that ants can cross. Alternatively, pesticide baits, such as ant stakes, may be placed near nests or on ant trails beneath plants. For the most effective and economical control, treat in early spring when ant populations are active, but before they become heavy. (For more information, see Pest Notes: Ants, listed in the Suggested Reading section.)""


http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7410.html

Disneygirl, I'd say it's mostly a harmful situation. I recently had some take up residence in one of my containers for a Key Lime plant. At first I didn't do anything about it, but then I started getting some noticable leaf drop. So I'm not sure if they were muching on the roots or if it was just coincidence. Anyway, after several unsuccessful attempts to get rid of them (i.e. soaking, ant traps) I finally was successful by using Terro ant traps which have a sweet liquid instead of powder and pouring the liquid right on top of the area where the colony appeared to be. Since getting rid of the ants the leaf drop has stopped.

Anyway I wouldn't let it go too long if I were you.

I just smear vaseline around the bottom of the pot or you could use a
tray and smear it around that,they dont like it and its kept the ants off my
trees.Re apply 2-3 weekly.cheers

The following article is from the current issue of the "FRUIT GARDNER," which as many of you know is the official publication of the California Rare Fruit Growers Association (CRFG). It concerns ants....>>>"The trick to getting rid of scale, aphid, and whitefly is to realize they have a symbiotic relationship with ants. Once the ants are gone, then so will be the other pests. I (the author) had a severe outbreak of scale on an orange tree a few years ago. I waited for a very hot day, then proceeded to hose down the tree. After the tree dried off the next day, I put Tanglefoot (over Parafilm) on the trunk to keep the ants off. I also put out my mixture of boric acid, sugar and water at the base of the tree to knock down the ant population. Always worked. <<<<

I dont know if I agree 100 percent with the author, but I do believe ants can exacerbate insect problems in citrus. - Millet

Borax and honey works like a champ too. Water it down just a bit, sticks to plants or paths or whatever, and is gone with one rain.

I wouldn't use borax too much or too often around plants; it's easy to get a boron toxicity I read. Even some of our natural water from the deepest aquifers have too much boron for lawn (or maybe it was golf course) grass.

What I have done, since I have it in a container and the container is on a cement (8x13) block is I have sprayed a circle (3 inches away from the base of the pot) of pest control. I do not ever (unless there is absolutely no othe choice) want to put any chemical on my tree or in the dirt that my tree is in. I am going to get some vaseline and try that. I will have to put it on the cement also since I don't want them to find their way through the bottom of the container where the drain holes are.

Thanks

I am using the vaseline and has been working GREAT.

Thank you.

cool,glad that has worked. What i have found very good,is put the pots
in Trays that are bigger than the pot size,just dont let them stand in your overflow water when you water them! if you smear vaseline around the overflow tray lip ,keep a little water in the tray,then raise them in the trays.I put them on small wooden feet,in a triangle shape,this helps the air to flow under the pot,then smear vaseline around the base of the pot!!!!
The ants would then need to climb the lip of the vaseline coated tray,swim across the tray,climb up the wooden feet,then negoitiate another layer
of vaseline. Even arnold swartzenigger (spelt wrong) .couldnt do that!!!!
Havenet seen any ants on my trees,plus i mist two to three
times a day to blast any insects off. cheers