posted 5 years ago
I doubt it's good, but i am watching the ants as well. I moved aphid larvae onto it, they were running for their lives, the ants were swarming all over when they discovered it. But the ladybugs they leave in peace. Don't know what is going on. Maybe it's that the ladybugs just fly off or they're like little tanks, all strong and smooth, the ants can't hurt them. But they seem not to mind each other. The infestation is pretty bad this year in the two year old production field. I just select for resistant plants when i save seeds.
My house garden has not a lot to suffer. Once it was terrible on my peaches, i let it go, and waves of different predators came and went, taking hold in my biodiverse garden with places for insects to overwinter. Despite the peaches bearing no fruit i haven't noticed an aphid infestation on them so far. The only one bearing loads is the hops, which is as well the place i go to if i need ladybug larvae to destroy an infestation on some weak plant i don't have lots of seeds from yet.
I don't know if i feel the same in future, i might be selecting for hard skinned slow growing bitter tasting veggies, but for now, all is well.
Creating edible biodiversity and embracing everlasting abundance.