Just like there are many different varieties of ants there are many homes of the ants as well. But to find these insects quite at home in a pot plant was exasperating.
Basically by the time the actual nest had been found several different methods had been tried. I'd even seen the videos where people in the outback melted lead or some such metal and just poured that hot liquid down into that ant, or termite, nest. Then they waited, dug around, and removed the unique end result.
The thought was tempting... until the actual nest was found in the plant container sitting on the back porch, where some sugar had been spilled, cleaned up, and hosed down a few weeks prior. Of course, ants love sweet things. They just moved into what they thought was a perfect high-rise apartment and set up their home.
That hanging plant basket was never the same after this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
As the area had European wasps near by the thought of using something sweat again was ruled out.
Camphor was the next best thing. The camphor square was dissolved into two liters of boiling water, allowed to cool, then the plant got a terrific drink. The plant didn't know what hit it, but the plant survived.
Needless to say, a few well-wrapped squared of Camphor also went camping with us. Ant's love to be invited camping too. But, for some funny reason those same ants ....were not with, or by us for long!
To this day camphor is a great thing to keep handy as an ant durant for any ants in my pot plants.
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