Topic: Ants seem to be herding black fly on my globe artichokes

[Crystalmoon]

Should I just leave them to get on with it or should I use something to clear them all off the plants?
If I need to clear them what should I use?
Thanks for any advise

[Fork]

The ants are "milking" the black aphid/fly which are sucking your globe artichokes dry.

Get rid of them....the aphid not the artichoke!

[Trevor_D]

This happened to us last year. We were about to spray when the ladybirds arrived and cleaned up the lot. Within a few days, no blackfly! I haven't had to spray at all this year.

Leave it for a day or two and see what happens. (If nothing does, do something about it yourself!)

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks Trevor &  Fork
I will leave for a couple of days then my counter attack will begin in earnest LOL
Reckon the blackfly have migrated from my infested nasturtiums...sigh!

[grawrc]

manicsousers ordered ladybird larvae somewhere online. Can't remember where though! ??? ???www.greengardener.co.uk The bain works slowly but gets there in the end. ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're unsightly but don't do much harm. I always seem to get the off broad bean which is absolutely covered, but they still produce beans.

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks grawrc I like the idea of using ladybirds

Thanks Robert hopefully they wont do much harm to my crops either, i swing from wanting to retaliate to thinking I should let nature get on with it LOL   

[Barnowl]

They're unsightly but don't do much harm. I always seem to get the off broad bean which is absolutely covered, but they still produce beans.

Herded blackfly have done a lot of damage to my runner beans but then they're not as robust as broad beans or artichokes

[calendula]

companion planting might work for some, such as growing tansy nearby, can get invasive but the blackfly love it and will detract them from your more precious crops

[Barnowl]

Bl**dy birds ate all my marigolds  >:(

[amphibian]

The ants will attack aphid predators in order to protect their flock. I use horticultural glue, or vasaline around the base of the stem to keep the ants off and allow the predators to do their work without attack from ants.