Jump to content

  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Can ant invasion harm palms?

Palm Hound

By Palm Hound
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

 Share

Recommended Posts

Palm Hound Community Regular

Palm Hound

Posted
Posted

I've seen ants coming out from under the base of several of my palms. (Dypsis onilahensis, A. myolensis, P. torallyi, H. forsteriana, Chamaedorea glaucifolia) Could this be harmful? This could indicate that my soil is nice and loose.

Palms are life, the rest is details.

Tyrone Grand Master

Tyrone

Posted
Posted

Ants are not a problem IF that's all you have. They have a tendency to farm little sap sucking critters like scale and mealy bugs that not only attack the leaves but can attack the roots too. Keep an eye out for the oldest leaves that start dying before there time. That could indicate mealybugs in the crown feasting away on the palms sap. :(

regards

Tyrone

  • Like 1

Millbrook, "Kinjarling" Noongar word meaning "Place of Rain", Rainbow Coast, Western Australia 35S. Warm temperate. Csb Koeppen Climate classification. Cool nights all year round.

 

 

Daryl Grand Master

Daryl

Posted
Posted

Ants killed one of my Corypha utans when they nested in the crown and rotted the centre spear with their mud-nest, so they can be dangerous!

Daryl

  • Like 1

Gold Coast, Queensland Latitude 28S. Mild, Humid Subtropical climate. Rainfall - not consistent enough!

freakypalmguy Grand Master

freakypalmguy

Posted
Posted
Ants killed one of my Corypha utans when they nested in the crown and rotted the centre spear with their mud-nest, so they can be dangerous!

Daryl

I just had the same happen with a Parajubea torallyi. It appeared they had chewed threw the base of the spear.

  • Like 1

Matt in Temecula, CA

Hot and dry in the summer, cold with light frost in the winter. Halfway between the desert and ocean

palmislandRandy Grand Master

palmislandRandy

Posted
Posted

Check the crown out. Ants like to "farm" mealybugs and scale. Get a flashlight and peer into the crown and look for anything that doesn't belong there. :drool:

  • Like 1

"If you need me, I'll be outside" -Randy Wiesner Palm Beach County, Florida Zone 10Bish

waykoolplantz Veteran

waykoolplantz

Posted
Posted

Ants loved my Gastrococus...the third time we were aware & prevented the invasion

  • Like 1

The Palm Mahal

Hollywood Fla

MattyB Grand Master

MattyB

Posted
Posted

If you have ants or especially earwigs down in the crown, blast them out with water. They leave gunk down there. They probably didn't chew through the spear it probably rotted from gunk. That's the scientific term anyway.

  • Like 1

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

mjff Mentor

mjff

Posted
Posted

I just had this happen with one of my W. filibustas. All the fronds turned brown. I climbed up there and was able to pull all of them except the spear, and the fire ants came pouring out of there. A little Daconil, Orthene, and Amdro later, and I think it will be ok.

  • Like 1

Martin Farris, San Angelo, TX

San Angelo Cold Hardy Palms and Cycads

Jul - 92F/69F, Jan - 55F/31F

Lows:

02-03: 18F;

03-04: 19F;

04-05: 17F;

05-06: 11F;

06-07: 13F;

07-08: 14F 147.5 Freezing Degree-Hours http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?sh...ee+hours\;

08-09: 23F;

09-10: 12F 467.6 Freezing Degree Hours, Average Temperature During Freeze 24.2F;

10-11: 13F 1,059.5 Freezing Degree Hours with Strong Winds/Rain/Snow/Sleet, Average Temperature During Freeze 19.4F;

Record low -4F in 1989 (High of 36F that p.m.) 1,125.2 freezing degree hours, Average Temperature During Freeze 13.6F;

Record Freeze 1983: 2,300.3 Freezing Degree Hours with a low of 5F, Average Temperature During Freeze 13.7F.

_Keith Grand Master

_Keith

Posted
Posted

Ants are most definitely a problem. I have lost many plants to them or the effects of them being there. Get rid of them asap.

  • Like 1

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

Davidl Mentor

Davidl

Posted
Posted

One other problem is they make channels in the dirt and the water runs through to fast ( mostly in a pot)and if your not careful your palm will die from drying out.

  • Like 1

David

Ken Johnson Grand Master

Ken Johnson

Posted
Posted

KILL THE ANTS! They are never good! Talstar will kill them and the insects they farm.

OMG another ANT post, when will it stop? Please kill the ANTS.

  • Like 1

I DIG PALMS

Call me anytime to chat about transplanting palms.

305-345-8918

https://www.facebook...KenJohnsonPalms

gavilan1 Community Regular

gavilan1

Posted
Posted

Where there are ants and wood, look for termites. Ants love to make beelines (no pun, intended or otherwise) to termite nests. Yum. Apparently termites love palm trunk wood. I had some sections of a 30' tall queen that we were going to make tables out of, but I recently discovered a termite nest inside one of the 3' sections. They completely ate out the insides, leaving the outer skin looking fine. I also lost a live 15G Roystonea borinquena to termites this winter. Got lazy with the Ortho Systemic, I guess...

  • Like 1

Doug Gavilanes

Garden Grove, CA.

Zone 10A (10B on really good days...)

Tala Rising Star

Tala

Posted
Posted

ants we have in Fl. do not harm palms. Can't speak for other locales. They are attracted to the palms via honeydew from aphids, scale, etc. Kill them, no more ants.

  • Like 1

- dave

palmislandRandy Grand Master

palmislandRandy

Posted
Posted

What Tala said. Get rid of the "food" source, the ants go away :D

  • Like 1

"If you need me, I'll be outside" -Randy Wiesner Palm Beach County, Florida Zone 10Bish

_Keith Grand Master

_Keith

Posted
Posted

I was speaking of Fire Ants. They don't go away. They don't eat the palm or take advantage of anything other than the soil near a palm is not disturbed by regular mowing. Once there, only poison will do the trick. They will undermine and over cover root systems and destroy the soil structure.

  • Like 1

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

Tomsky Collaborator

Tomsky

Posted
Posted
Ants killed one of my Corypha utans when they nested in the crown and rotted the centre spear with their mud-nest, so they can be dangerous!

Daryl

Can't they pick on someone their own size?

Jack

  • Like 1
palmsrgreat Experienced

palmsrgreat

Posted
Posted

I agree with Ken, I use Talstar throughout my yard and on my palms, I really believe it's the best out there. The ants will get it on them and give it to others as they pass and touch. If I treat a mound it is completely destroyed within 12-24 hrs., I enjoy seeing them all rolled up, looks like sprinkled pepper :)

  • Like 1
DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted
Ants killed one of my Corypha utans when they nested in the crown and rotted the centre spear with their mud-nest, so they can be dangerous!

Daryl

I just had the same happen with a Parajubea torallyi. It appeared they had chewed threw the base of the spear.

Hmm.

With all due respect, I think the ants came after whatever the real problem was.

  • Like 1

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted
KILL THE ANTS! They are never good! Talstar will kill them and the insects they farm.

OMG another ANT post, when will it stop? Please kill the ANTS.

PedANT alarm . . . . .

Hmmm . . . .

I say you cANT kill all the ants without killing all the people, too. . . . .

  • Upvote 1

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

MAUSER Proficient

MAUSER

Posted
Posted

Put trap for ants. They eat and dies

post-1760-1217660567_thumb.jpg

  • Like 1
ESMUR3000000030009A.gif
Daryl Grand Master

Daryl

Posted
Posted
Ants killed one of my Corypha utans when they nested in the crown and rotted the centre spear with their mud-nest, so they can be dangerous!

Daryl

I just had the same happen with a Parajubea torallyi. It appeared they had chewed threw the base of the spear.

Hmm.

With all due respect, I think the ants came after whatever the real problem was.

Dave, unfortunately no. The palm was perfectly healthy. The ants we have here love to nest above the soil level when the ground is too wet. We know when it is going to rain because all of our plants, stone walls, houses etc are black with ants that are moving to higher ground or drier places. They just decided to nest there, and I was slack and did not flush them out. Eventually they smothered the spear and it rotted, then died. There were no other insects or diseases involved.

Daryl

  • Like 1

Gold Coast, Queensland Latitude 28S. Mild, Humid Subtropical climate. Rainfall - not consistent enough!

  • 11 years later...
nikki Newbie

nikki

Posted
Posted

I am in FL & I had ants eating my royal palms.  Killing the aunts was easy enough, but now there are holes in the trunk & they keep getting bigger with the rain...anything I can use to patch up the holes?

  • Like 1
  • 2 years later...
Angeleyez Newbie

Angeleyez

Posted
Posted

IMG_5944.thumb.jpeg.f0583b56226304994d273562a0281571.jpegany ideas what could be going on with this palm tree?  I’m scared I don’t wanna lose it and it’s definitely got something wrong.  The plant underneath it is also dying. I thought maybe it was lack of water but it’s not.  There are ants living at the base. To have the Frans die before their time to dry out.

This is so tall, and on the edge of the hell I don’t want it to die or fall. 
 

And it’s also hard to get up to the Crowne to check it out because it is so tall.  
 

Any advice would be certainly appreciated!! 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...