Ant Invasion Dapperbuurt!
Roomtuintje Oostbos is under attack, not by cops or by knokplug (thugs) but by those little creatures known as ants. The terrain is mostly covered by a thick layer of sand which the ants thrive in. We thought at first that it may be useful to have the ants nesting in or around our patches as they may aerate the soil but not so.
Populations have been on a steady increase and recently new varieties have been spotted like those larger ones with wings which seem to be very popular with the local black birds that can collect lots of them in their beaks before flying off to feed their young.
The ants have been protecting the Aphids (big green fat ones) and the black fly which are damaging certain crops like the tuinbonen (beans). The ants will hang around the Aphid groups and deter predators like the ladybird. Once a ladybird turns up they get into attack mode and the ladybird is forced to flee. The Ants are using the Aphids for their sweet secretions which they produce after sucking the life out of our lovely beans and peas.
Not only do the ants protect the Aphids but they have now begun to make nests in our vegetable and herb patches and boxes leading to damaged roots and ultimately dead plants.
We retaliated by putting a solution of sugar and yeast and some dried yeast with sugar grains next to one of the ant nests. What resulted soon after was a chaotic situation for the ants. As they brought home their trojan horse all hell broke loose. The ants nest began to explode. The ants promptly evacuated taking their precious eggs to another spot.
Beware The Ants!