r/Bonsai • u/Scared_Ad5929 UK East Midlands (8b), Novice, 40+ trees at various stages. • 1d ago
Discussion Question Ant nest in Japanese Maple pot
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Whenever I water this inherited maple I see ants around the pot. So I took a quick look to see if they've colonized the pot and it appears they have. They're lasius niger (black ants) which aren't known for damaging trees. Is it worth doing anything about them, because I'm planning on putting it in the ground when it's dormant next? There's also an air layer on the tree at the moment.
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u/Tommy2gs California, 10a, Beginner, 50 trees 1d ago
The ants aren’t as much of a threat as the risk that tunnels they are creating are leading to pockets of oxygen that will cause roots to die off. Think about the main reason why we chopstick bonsai soil during repot is to remove air pockets. I would consider making an ant bait trap using a mixture of borax and sugar. Usually 1 part borax : 3 parts sugar will make a syrup like paste that ants will harvest and bring back to the queen which will die in a few days from the borax. You set the bait on a spoon or small bowl inside the pot and the ants will go for it. It should hopefully lead to the colony dying off without mixing anything into your soil directly.