Q:ย Our yard backs up to the desert and every late summer for the past few years leafcutter ants raid our yard at night, stripping leaves off our banksiae rose and lantana.ย The have recently begun to attack a mature desert willow and itโs now almost bare. At one point the anthill was in our back yard and I used insecticide on the pile so that now theyโve moved into the desert. But they climb the fence with ease even while carrying leaves. I donโt want to spread poison in the desert but am worried our tree will not survive. (The lantanas and banksiae are hardy and always come right back). Do you have suggestions to keep the ants out?
A:ย Leafcutter ants are difficult to manage but one thing that slows them down is making the area less hospitable.ย A product called tanglefoot is a sticky substance you can spread on the base of the plants you are trying to protect and in your case maybe the wall they climb. Also diatomaceous earth is something you can spread on the ground surrounding the plants. The diatomaceous earth is abrasive and can injure the ants and the sticky stuff does just what you might think. They get stuck and canโt move much like Roach Motels that let insects check but not check out.
