![]() ![]() Aphids and mealybugs pierce the leaves and stems and suck out the sap, which harms the tree and makes its foliage weak and yellow. They will even sometimes bite the wings off of aphids so that they can’t fly away! Are Ants Bad for Citrus Trees?Īnts themselves are not bad for citrus trees, but the insects that they care for and farm are. These ants will build an anthill near the citrus tree and create a territory around it, protecting their herds from ladybugs and other predators and culling out the sick or wounded. To secure their supply of honeydew and make sure it stays constant, herder ants will contain and protect the aphids or the mealybugs on citrus trees. This honeydew and the mold that grows on it are an ant delicacy. These bugs feed on the leaves and sap of the citrus tree and secrete a sweet, sticky substance known as honeydew. Citrus trees are often home to soft-bodied insects like aphids or mealybugs. In the case of citrus trees, they have the opportunity for a free and easy meal. Ants that herd, also known as herder ants, are attracted to citrus trees.Īnts, like all natural organisms, are opportunists. Why Are Ants Attracted to Citrus Trees?ĭid you have an ant farm when you were a kid? If so, it may not surprise you to learn that ants themselves are farmers. So, why are ants attracted to your citrus trees in the first place, and are they bad for your trees? What can you do to get rid of ants? Let’s find out more. These live and feed in the tree and secrete the sweet honeydew that ants like to eat. You can prevent ants from infesting your citrus tree by eliminating their anthill, setting bait traps, placing a sticky trap around the base of the tree, and removing their food sources-primarily aphids and mealybugs. So, we did a little digging to find out more. While we haven’t had much of a problem with them, we were curious about how to get rid of them if they started overrunning the tree. We occasionally get some bugs on our citrus trees (who can resist sweet fruits?) and sometimes that means ants. ![]()
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