How To Deal With Ants In Succulents (On The Plant Or Nest Under The Soil)

Ants do not directly harm your succulents but can be quite a nuisance. When you see ants in your succulent pot, it is an indication that your succulents are under pest attack. These pests such as mealybugs, scales, and aphids secrete a honey-like substance in the soil that serves as food to ants. The article explains how to get rid of ants in succulent soil.
Ants tend to hide in the succulent’s foliage or create nests in the pot as they feed. You can get rid of ants in your succulent pot by following the guidelines in this article.

How to Get Rid of Ants in Succulent Soil

There are several ways you can get rid of ants terrorizing your succulent soil. Let us take a look at them:

Apply Insecticides

If ants attack your soil, a great way to remove them is by applying an insecticide known as permethrin. This insecticide paralyzes the nervous system of ants, which eventually leads to their death. Permethrin is available in different forms: aerosol, dust, and powder. Ensure you carefully read the product description before applying permethrin to your soil. Note that permethrin is harmful to humans. You might want to keep it away from the reach of your children and pets.

Another insecticide you can use to eradicate ants from your soil is the diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is a mineral-based insecticide. For your safety, use an applicator bulb to apply this insecticide. Evenly spread the insecticide on the soil and the base of the succulent. The ants will die in less than 30 minutes of application.

Note that diatomaceous earth is not all that effective when wet. So, apply the insecticide after a heavy dew, rainfall, or watering. Also, inhaling this product can be harmful, so steer clear of your succulents after using the insecticide. To limit your chances of inhaling the diatomaceous earth, store it in a sealed bag.

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Use Ant Baits

You can also use baits to destroy the ant colony formed in your pot. A good ant bait can be any poisonous food that contains sugar and oil. As the ants feed on the contaminated food, they start dying gradually.
Ant baits are relatively safer than permethrin. But before using an ant bait, ensure you read the instruction manual to know if it is safe in the presence of kids and pets.

The most effective ant baits to go for are those containing a large concentration of hydramethylnon, boric acid, and fipronil. There are tons of ant baits available online for you to purchase.
A reusable bait station can be handy in eradicating ants. You can fill the trap of the bait station with any insecticide and place it close to the succulent base. Frequently look at the bait station to know if you need to refill it

Repot the Succulents

Another way to eradicate ants from the soil is by repotting the succulent. You have to change the infested soil, so the ants no longer have something to feed on it.
To report your succulents, start by rinsing the roots. Remove the succulent from its pot using a gardening trowel. Discard the soil left in the pot and spray the roots to dislodge any ant clinging to the roots.
After discarding the contaminated soil from the pot, you have to disinfect the pot. It is to ensure that there is no residue of the infested soil left in the pot. Scrub the inner and outer sections of the pot with a sponge.
Once you have cleaned the pot, fill it with new soil. Stick the succulent into the soil and ensure it is stable in every direction. After that, water the succulent by following your watering schedule.

Make sure to follow Succulent City on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram for more informative & interesting content about succulents & cacti 🙂 Happy planting, and live the moment, my friend!

Use Household Items

There are lots of household items you can use to expel ants from your succulent soil. For one, an ant is not a fan of coffee and will do everything to avoid it. Put some coffee grounds on the soil and spread it with your hands.
You can also use other household items such as pepper, chili powder, baking soda, and cinnamon to eliminate ants, causing a nuisance in your soil. Ants detest these items and will find another place to feed once they are no longer comfortable in your pot. Another great thing about these household items is that they are not harmful to kids and pets, unlike Insecticides.
Then again, if you do not fancy using household items and toxic chemicals in eradicating ants, you can use sticky traps. These traps are non-toxic and are considered adequate. Place the sticky trap around your succulents, and as the ants try to come close, they will be trapped.

Use Boric Acid

Boric acid is not just useful on ants but also on pests that may be attacking your succulents. You can mix boric acid with peanut butter or jelly and apply the mixture to the soil.
Boric acid is toxic, and so the concentration you apply to your plant soil matters a great deal. If the boric acid concentration is not sufficient, it will not kill the ants. On the flip side, if the attention is in excess, the ants will die, and the soil will be sterilized. Also, the ants will detect excessive boric acid and stop feeding on the substance.

When using boric acid, you have to be patient before you notice the results. You will keep on seeing ants on your soil for at least a month or two before they will finally die. You also have to reapply boric acid on the soil every 2 to 4 weeks.

Finally, remember that boric acid is toxic and not suitable for use in the presence of children and pets. It is best to apply boric acid for outdoor succulents, where your chances of making contact with the substance are slimmer.

Wrapping Up

The solutions we shared in this guide are easy to follow through. While some of the answers are harmful to humans and pets, others are not. You might experience mild skin irritation, sour taste, or difficulty breathing if you do not follow the recommended application procedure.

ABOUT ME

Richard Miller

Salute everyone. It's Richard, the author of this Succulent & Xeriscaping blog. I am a traveler and a nature lover looking for a connection with the wild green. In my journey, I found a love for succulents and xeriscaping. What attracts me is the long-lasting & unique beauty of every plant I have the chance to see with my own eyes. Welcome to my little blog and let's enjoy a good time together!

Contact me: richard.succulentcity@gmail.com