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Ants eggs in Philadelphus
jeanette.hardy
Posts: 2
I planted a Philadelphus Belle Etoile earlier this year and it’s starting to get established. I’ve noticed a few buds so hopefully it will flower soon. However, it looks like ants are laying eggs on the leaves! Will this harm the plant? If so, any plant friendly solutions I can try to get rid? Many thanks
0
Posts
What the ants are doing is moving young aphids about to the young tender shoots ... they ‘farm’ them and drink the honeydew they excrete. Hose them off with a jet of water or brush them off with finger and thumb if you’re not too squeamish.
if you attract bluetits to the area by hanging feeders near your shrubs and feeding through the year they’ll hoover up the aphids for you.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.