Companion Pests

• Ants themselves are not a problem for garden plants. They don't eat the plants or damage them. But the presence of ants encourages other insects that do damage plants to stay in your garden. Aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies and scale are all favorite companions of ants. The ants will actually protect the aphids and their eggs, because they enjoy the honeydew the aphids produce. Ants can also make it uncomfortable to tend to your garden plants if they climb on you or bite you.
  
  

Attractants

• Ants choose areas in your garden based on available food and water sources. To avoid attracting ants, remove as many such sources as possible. Empty containers that collect rainwater, collect fruits that have dropped from trees or bushes onto the ground, and keep low-hanging branches trimmed to make it harder for ants to climb the plants. While it's virtually impossible to avoid growing plants that might attract ants, consider the location and necessity of the plant if ant infestations are a problem. Peonies, for example, are especially attractive to ants, so it may be worthwhile to choose a different flower that is less likely to draw ants to your garden.
  
  

Control

• Eliminating ants from your yard is not a reasonable goal, but controlling them so that they don't cause problems by attracting pests or entering your home is possible. Place sticky bands around the bottoms of trees and plants that attract ants. Tanglefoot, sold at home improvement stores to discourage pigeons, will work, or attach a piece of paper coated with a sticky substance or spray glue. Bait traps have proven effective, but they take time to work. Insecticide sprays are considered a last resort, since they harm not only ants but also beneficial insects. They also are not highly effective, since they tend to kill only the ants outside of the nest.
  
  

Predators and Repellents

• Natural predators and plants known to repel ants can discourage them from locating in your garden. Insects known to eat ants include wasps, praying mantises, ground beetles, doodlebugs and humpback flies. Other ant predators include frogs, lizards, snakes and many kinds of birds, including flickers, woodpeckers and chickens. Attract wild birds to your yard by providing feeders, nests and sources of water. Be sure to wrap the bottoms of bird baths with Tanglefoot to keep from attracting ants.