RE: Ants

Betsy this is really bad.  This is how exotic pests enter the United States
and cause literally Billions of dollars of damage.  We really need to be
careful when bringing new species of insects into the US, even ants.

Jim Downer
University of California
Cooperative Extension


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ferns@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf Of Betsy
Feuerstein
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 5:26 PM
To: ferns@hort.net
Subject: Re: [ferns] Ants


Reggie and the group,

I have a similar story with solanopteris in Ecuador where I tried to 
drown them to no avail. I was covered in stinging ants so finally I 
bagged them up tightly and you can guess the rest......... they were 
still there. I gambled and got them home and the ants were still there 
when I got home.

Betsy

Regferns@aol.com wrote:

>Many of the Lecanopteris species are also homes for ants.  Ants are  
>also
>attracted to plants with nectaries, such as many of the Aglaomorpha
species, 
>particularly Photinopteris speciosum (now Aglaomorpha speciosa).
Interesting 
>timing with the talk of Solanopteris brunei (the Potato Fern).   Last
evening, 
>Robbin Moran spoke in Miami to the Tropical Fern & Exotic  Plant Society.
This 
>morning around the breakfast table we were discussing  Solanopteris.  This 
>discussion was prompted by the fact that a couple  of years ago while in
Borneo, 
>we bought several specimens of Platycerium  ridleyi.  The plants were 
>infested with stinging black ants.  After  almost 1 hour of trying to
dislodge the 
>ants from the plants (with  lots of water), ants were still coming out.  We

>noticed that there were  numerous chambers, nooks and crannies in the base
fronds, 
>and the ants had  thoroughly and efficiently colonized these plants.  Some 
>observers have  surmised that there is a symbiotic relationship between the
ants 
> and Platycerium ridleyi. The ants do come out in force to defend their  
>home.  
> 
>Reggie  Whitehead
>Tropical Fern & Exotic Plant  Society
>
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