Ants on Peas

[katiebrock]

Good morning! I have a crop of White Acre peas planted, and they are doing well, except for the fact that they have been taken over by ants! I spray with dish soapy water and sprinkle garlic powder, which seems to help with the other bugs, but not the ants. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance! I am very new to gardening, so I do not have a lot of knowledge yet.

 

[JanetMarie]

Is their home in the soil under and around the peas? Are the ants eating the pea plants? I garden and have for years and have never had ants be a problem although they're just there in the soil. I've heard the ants in the South are more voracious.

 

[katiebrock]

Is their home in the soil under and around the peas? Are the ants eating the pea plants? I garden and have for years and have never had ants be a problem although they're just there in the soil. I've heard the ants in the South are more voracious.

I am not sure, I am scared to dive in to check the soil But they do crawl all over the plants, and they gather at the point where the pod meets the plant. It looks like they crawl in and eat them, but every pod I have picked so far seems fine.

 

[JanetMarie]

I wonder if there's some nectar at the gathering point they're eating. Ants crawl all over Peony buds, but they need the ants for the buds to open. I wouldn't worry if the pods are okay, but I would observe because it seems interesting.

 

[Acre4Me]

If there are aphids, they secrete a sweet substance that ants go crazy for. Last year, we had colonies of aphids on the underside of the huge sunflower leaves, along with big black ants. I looked it up and apparently, the ants protect the aphids so they can get that yummy nectar secretion. Not sure that would happen in your peas, but aphids might be present.

 

[katiebrock]

That makes sense, because even though they are at the base of the pod, I don’t think they actually crawl in the pod. I am just afraid they will crawl on me and bite!