Ants are a typical garden pest that lemon tree cultivators will likely encounter at some point. If your lemon tree is infested with aphids, ants will likely pursue it. Spraying the lemon tree with water, using essential oils, pest-repelling companion plants, talcum or chalk can eliminate ants.
Are ants bad for lemon tree?
Ants themselves do not damage the citrus trees, but the insects that they care for and raise are bad. Aphids and mealybugs pierce the leaves and stems and then drink the sap. This hurts the tree and makes the leaves weak and yellow. Both the honeydew and any mold that grows on it can spread disease.
Ants are pollinators attracted by the nectar of citrus blossoms. Insects such as aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and whiteflies will puncture the cells of lemon trees’ young leaves and fragile tips in order to extract the nutrient-rich liquid contents that are contained within.
It is possible for these pests to amass in large numbers, which can cause the leaves they feed on to become yellow, wilt, or fall off. Additionally, young trees can sustain significant damage as a result of the aggressive eating.
Honeydew is a sugary, sticky material that is excreted by sap-feeders and is used as a food source by ants. Ants are attracted to citrus trees when sap-feeders are active because the sap-feeders produce honeydew.
Ants will go to considerable lengths to safeguard and expand this food source. They will frequently defend sap-feeders against their natural enemies and will move them around to induce rapid reproduction in other members of their species.
Ants aren’t doing any harm to the tree, but sometimes you’ll find them farming aphids or scale insects because both of these pests create honeydew, that ants consume.
Meanwhile, red fire ants, which eat through the bark and damage blooms in their quest for sap, occasionally strike lemon trees.
If they eat the bark all the way around the trunk, the tree will eventually perish. Aphids can be a sign of trouble if you have a new tree, and you should try to get rid of them as soon as possible.
While the tree isn’t being damaged in any way by the ants. On the other hand, ants are beneficial for the lemon trees in the sense that they prey on insects that eat plants, your lemon tree will benefit from their presence.
Moreover, they can be an early warning sign of other pest infestations.
Do ants eat lemon tree and leaves?
Ants do not eat lemon trees and leaves in any way. They do not gnaw on the tree itself or the foliage in any way. However, ants are known to care for insects that are harmful to trees, particularly those that inject viruses.
Even though lemon trees don’t require much in the way of maintenance throughout the year, they are susceptible to the same sap-feeding pests that cause problems for other types of fruit trees.
Ants are drawn to sap-feeders because, when they feed, the sap-feeders secrete honeydew that is sticky and nourishing.
Why are there ants on my lemon tree?
Ants cultivate their own food. Citrus trees are a magnet for herder ants, a type of ant that herds.
Ants, like all natural species, are opportunists. In the case of citrus trees, they have the potential to have a meal that is both cost-free and uncomplicated. Aphids and mealybugs, both have soft bodies, frequently make their homes on citrus trees.
If you already have aphids or scale infesting your citrus tree, the chances of seeing ants increase significantly.
Honeydew is a sweet liquid that ants consume, and these bugs that feed on sap make it. In point of fact, the ants will “herd” the aphids from leaf to leaf in order to protect them from any predators that may be present.
Some species of ants serve as pollinators because they are drawn to the nectar that is found in citrus blossoms.
Sometimes red fire ants will strike lemon trees, causing the blossoms to be destroyed and the bark to be chewed through in order to get at the sap. They may even eat the bark all the way around the trunk of the tree, which may finally result in the tree’s demise.
How to get rid of ants from my lemon tree?
To get rid of the ants from the lemon plant you need to follow the below process.
Wrapping the tree:
It is essential not to apply the adhesive barrier directly to the bark of a citrus tree because doing so could be detrimental. If it were applied to the tree directly, it would cause it harm.
Before applying the sticky barrier to the trunk, it must be wrapped with vinyl tape to prevent it from sticking. Ants are not allowed to pass through the barrier, so the wrapping needs to be as tight as possible.
Applying a Sticky Tree Tanglefoot Barrier:
As it is difficult to remove Tanglefoot from hands and utensils, use disposable gloves and a disposable knife. Put the tree tanglefoot adhesive barrier directly to the wrapping cloth using a disposable knife.
It is necessary to routinely inspect the sticky barrier to ensure that no ant-passing debris-bridges have formed. If such a bridge forms, it can be eliminated by using a second disposable knife to disrupt the barrier and exposing a layer of adhesive beneath the debris.
Prune branches touching surrounding shrubs or fences:
Reduce the height of lemon trees until they are no longer in contact with buildings, decks, or any other structures that ants might be able to use as an alternate access point to the tree’s canopy. This can be accomplished through pruning.
It will be much simpler to apply the adhesive barrier if you clear the area around the base of the tree of any suckers that you find.
Apply a band of masking task:
Two to four feet off the ground, apply a band of masking tape that is approximately four inches wide all the way around the trunk of the diseased lemon tree.
In the middle of the band of masking tape, paint a sticky barrier that is at least 2 inches wide, taking care not to get any of the adhesive on the tree’s trunk.
Put sugar-based ant baits all around the tree’s base and on either side of any ant trails you’ve seen, and they will keep the ants away.
Inspect the canopy:
It is important to carefully examine the canopy with a magnifying glass in order to search for any indications of insects that feed on sap. Once these insects have been positively identified, it will be much simpler to get rid of them.
Look for bumps that are unusual or irregular in shape, insects that are plump and shaped like pears, insects or castings that are cottony or mealy, or tiny moths that fly away when they are disturbed.
Prune infected canopy of the lemon tree:
Remove parts of the lemon tree’s canopy that are heavily infested with pests, and either burn or bag the resulting debris right away. When dealing with pest insects with soft bodies, such as aphids, mealybugs, or whitefly larvae, use an insecticidal soap.
Horticultural oil can be used to suffocate the larvae of scale insects. In order to protect bees, it is important to postpone the application of imidacloprid to lemon trees until after the flowers have died.
Check the adhesive band frequently:
Regularly inspect the sticky band that surrounds your tree; in the event that it becomes obstructed with ants, either reapply more sticky material or replace the band. Once a week, the baits should have their supplies replenished so that they do not run out.
If your tree isn’t exhibiting obvious signs of stress, you should hold off on giving it additional nutrients or extra water until it does. This is because a sudden growth spurt may increase the feeding and reproduction of any sap-feeding insects that are still present in the canopy.
Pour boiling water:
When dealing with red fire ants that are invading the tree, water is another tool to save the day. Once the nest is located, pour around three gallons of boiling water over it.
If the nest isn’t totally destroyed by this treatment, or if there are plants in the area that would be injured by the hot water, use an insecticide drench on the nest that will soak in and wipe out the colony. This treatment is an alternative to using hot water.
Final thoughts
The honeydew produced by scale insects is attractive to ants. They shield the scale from natural predators so that the sweet material can continue to be produced. Ants do not damage the lemon trees but contribute to the survival of the scales. Getting rid of ants requires controlling insects.