Dahlias & Ants
Dahlias make a bright addition to any garden or landscape, and a healthy plant produces showy flowers that attract beneficial insects such as honeybees and butterflies to the garden. Dahlias, however, also attract insects that damage them, including ants. Does this Spark an idea?
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Pest Problems
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Ants are often the first sign of a pest problem that can become more severe for dahlias. Ants make it easier for other pests, including insects and fungi, to attack and damage dahlia flowers.
Ant Damage
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Ants feed on the stems, leaves and petals of the dahlia plant, weakening it and depriving it of nutrients necessary for growth and maturation. Ants sometimes bring aphids to the dahlia, which damage the plant further and occasionally carry diseases.
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Pest Control
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Pesticides directed at ant and aphid control for flowers or gardens are an important part of controlling ant populations. Controlling the ant population from early spring onward helps gardeners avoid the damage and cost of replacing dahlias.
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