Re: ants

Barbara --
This year is a terrible ant year in my San Diego area garden as well.
We've always had some ants but this year they are EVERYWHERE and completely
unbearable.  I'm sure that some folks have no idea what we are talking
about, but imagine that anywhere you stop for more than a second in your
garden, your feet are suddenly swarming with ants.  And yesterday, I was
preparing for a party on my patio and washed it down (usually i just
sweep).  The ants swarmed EVERYWHERE -- carrying their little white eggs.
They covered the stairs, the patio, the hose, me....   It was just awful.
Reminds me of a horror movie.

I try to just leave them be, except for where they farm aphids and then I
use the dreaded ant chalk around the base of fruit trees and at door
jams/windows.  I don't believe they have any natural predators around
here...

Nan

>Anyway, I'm wondering if there may be an imbalance in my garden or if it's
>common to have *this* many ants. Sometimes my compost is swarming with
>them. I don't use pesticides and try to cultivate plants which attract
>beneficial insects. Do ants have any natural enemies, other than anteaters?
>
>Barbara in the Berkeley flatlands

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Nan Sterman
San Diego County California
Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11
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