The invasion of ants on strawberry beds threatens not only berry bushes, but also the entire crop. Summer residents are worried: ants on strawberries, how to get rid of? You should not indulge in panic, but you cannot stay idle. Fighting ants is not a one-off event, but a long and focused process.

Ants in the beds: harm and problems

Summer residents say that the increase in the population of ants in the backyard is the cause of many problems. Uninvited guests do not pass by fruit and berry crops:

  • apple and raspberry;
  • gooseberries and currants;
  • strawberries and strawberries.

Sod ants attack strawberries the most. Both ripe fruits and foliage along with the roots suffer. Pests like to build anthills under crops, resulting in plant death.

Failure to take adequate measures leads to the fact that the parasites occupy the greenhouse and move to the buildings in the garden. The settlement of ants in wooden buildings leads to their destruction.

The movement of insects in the suburban area causes the transfer of weed seeds. However, the main trouble that awaits gardeners is the threat of losing their crops. Pests love berries very much for their juiciness and sweet taste. The habitat of parasites on the strawberry plot is fraught with:

  • damage to the root system;
  • breaking through labyrinths underground - a refuge for various parasites.

It is important for gardeners to know how to get rid of ants on strawberries and not harm green spaces.

Ants in the beds

Insecticides in the fight against ants

How to get rid of slugs on strawberries

Gardeners fight ants with chemicals. Among them are the following.

Muracid

It is produced in the form of granules and water emulsion. It is a food bait. The active substance is diazinon. Provides instant drug action on parasites. Differs in the period of action: it removes pests from the garden for at least a month.

The drug in ampoules does not need to be prepared in advance: carefully open the container with the contents and mix the substance into a 10-liter bucket of water. The mixture is carefully kneaded. 1 liter of poison is enough for an anthill. Ants die a day after application, including the uterus and larvae.

Muracid

The granular preparation is combined with granulated sugar, scattered with poisonous bait in jars and placed in places where pests accumulate. The use of an insecticide causes the death of parasites on the second or third day.

A similar action and chemical composition of funds:

  • Ant-eater;
  • Ant;
  • Thunder-2.

a great warrior

Gel-like substance for getting rid of garden pests. At the heart -

two active ingredients: diazinon, chlorpyrifos. The components increase the mutual effect and in a short time will remove the ant colony from the beds.

Suitable for application are plastic lids and pieces of thick cardboard. Make sure that the rain does not wash away the drug.

Attention! The tool is used to kill cockroaches.

The drug for ants has an intestinal contact effect. Distinctive features:

  • preservation of toxic properties for a month;
  • sweet smell;
  • the onset of the effect after 2-3 days.

It is applied in strips, the distance between which is from 2 to 6 cm.When reapplied - 5-6 cm.

Other chemicals

Insecticides against ants are popular, such as:

  • Biotlin;
  • Tanrek;
  • Bison.

Spray with a solution, according to the instructions. Crops are processed before flowering, when it is calm and dry outside.

Important! Chemicals are dangerous to humans. Precautions are taken: use a protective mask and gloves during processing. Work clothes are washed separately after the operation.

It is forbidden to spray strawberries with chemicals during fruiting and harvesting - flowers and berries become toxic and hazardous to health.

Important! Be sure to store the drug out of the reach of children and animals.

Folk remedies and recipes

How to get rid of beetle larvae on strawberries

Gardeners who do not want to resort to chemistry turn to folk remedies.

Bait

Setting up ant traps is considered an effective technique. For pests, a bait is prepared from:

  • a bag of fast-acting yeast;
  • 1.5 tablespoons of honey.

Old jar lids fit just right for spreading the honey-yeast mixture. They are laid out near the ant's nest.

Fast Acting Yeast Bag

A jar of sweet syrup at the bottom is good as bait. Use:

  • jam;
  • liquid honey;
  • borax with sugar.

The composition is poured over the paths to the dishes with the ant treat.

The most popular lures with boric acid:

  • 0.5 l of liquid with sugar and 0.5 tsp. boric acid;
  • solution: borax powder (matchbox), honey (1 tbsp. l.), water (100 ml), granulated sugar (125 g).

The toxic mixture is spread over the lids and left next to the nest.

With a small ant population, the following methods are used:

 

  • the sawdust is soaked with anise oil and poured under the strawberries;
  • cotton pads treated with turpentine are laid out near the anthill.

The effectiveness of the method is ensured in the case when there are not very many parasites or when the berries are ripening.

Ammonia

An effective option is to sprinkle the area between the strawberry bushes with ammonia. You will need 0.5 tablespoon of ammonia per 5 liters of liquid. Reception is used before tying strawberries.

Strawberry fruit ovary

Smells in the fight against ants

Ants cannot stand the smell of mustard, tansy and wormwood. Every day they spread fresh grass among the strawberry bushes. Ants dislike the mint aroma. They get rid of parasites by planting peppermint around the perimeter of the cottage.

Digging and watering

When placing an anthill outside a strawberry bed, digging it up and watering the soil with boiling water with the addition of vegetable oil is suitable. When digging, they also make:

  • lime and salt;
  • wood ash and soda;
  • kerosene and infusions of aromatic herbs (lavender, garlic, wormwood, onions);
  • soap, shampoo;
  • pine needles and vinegar;
  • essential oils.

The nest, which is located on the strawberry, is eliminated as follows:

  1. Periodic sprinkling of hills with quicklime, soda, ash;
  2. Watering the anthill with a solution that is prepared from water (1 liter), baking soda (5 g), linseed oil (30 g).

Nest

Additional tips for gardeners

Ants on currants - how to get rid of

Preventive measures are allowed to prevent the appearance of ants in the backyard or to facilitate the fight against them. Experienced summer residents are advised to grow garlic, onions next to strawberries. Cultures scare off the pungent smell of parasites.

Sprinkling with garlic infusion will not harm the strawberries. To prepare the solution you will need:

  • 10 l - water;
  • 2 tbsp. l. - boric acid;
  • 100 g - crushed garlic;
  • 400 g - extract of needles.

The tool is insisted for 7 days.

When ants attack a strawberry area, they carefully examine the foliage of the bushes. Detection of scale insects or aphids is a signal to get rid of parasites. Soon the ants will lose their food and will look for a new object. This will help:

  1. A solution of laundry or tar soap is a reliable means of protecting strawberries from scale insects and aphids;
  2. Table salt, which is poured into the nest and into the trenches inside, will make insects leave the populated area;
  3. Sprinkle bird droppings between strawberry rows;
  4. Use of culinary waste: vegetable oil after frying food;
  5. Soapy water after washing is good for the nest.

When unleashing a war with ants, it is advisable to make sure who the enemy is: ants or bugs, coupled with weevils.

Removing an ant colony from a strawberry plot is difficult. Therefore, it is useful to remember about protecting plants from ants and taking timely measures to improve their health and preserve the harvest with the help of folk remedies and chemicals.