Ants?

[BuckeyeOne]

Moved a young JWP and had what I refer to as "Sugar Ants" running for cover! Been a pretty wet spring, so could that contribute?
Concerns and solutions if needed, please.
Thanks,
Buck

 

[Saddler]

I’m not sure if this applies to pines, but if I have ants climbing on one of my trees, it is always a sign of aphids taking residence. I always immediately spray and I try to keep the ant population under control (very difficult when the whole complex was landscaped with sand and two inches of soil to cover). I would check for bugs really closely and treat accordingly.

Good luck

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Yes, it applies to pines too.
Especially those huge ass brown/blackish aphids, I call them tanks, seem to love conifers. Found them on mugo, scots, jbp, jrp, and almost all junipers I have.

 

[Heitor Silva]

Hey, from my begginer's experience, these type of ant isn't so selective when it comes to feeding on plants (I basically had a massive infestation even on my tropicals recently), so, yep, you've got to solve this problem. When it comes to the solution, |'d some gardening insecticide (DO NOT EXAGGERATE THE DOSAGE), had I a healthy plant. You can also submerge your bonsai into a large bucket of water, and let it there for around 24 hrs, it certainly worked for my plants. Just be careful not to leave it waterlogged after that. Good luck there!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Hey, from my begginer's experience, these type of ant isn't so selective when it comes to feeding on plants (I basically had a massive infestation even on my tropicals recently), so, yep, you've got to solve this problem. When it comes to the solution, |'d some gardening insecticide (DO NOT EXAGGERATE THE DOSAGE), had I a healthy plant. You can also submerge your bonsai into a large bucket of water, and let it there for around 24 hrs, it certainly worked for my plants. Just be careful not to leave it waterlogged after that. Good luck there!

Ants don’t actually feed on plants. I would not do this treatment for ants.
Check for aphids for sure, ants “farm” them by depositing them in your trees, then feed on their excretions.
I use Terro baits when I see ants, and just set one of these on the soil for a couple days, then treat for aphids.

 

[Heitor Silva]

Ants don’t actually feed on plants. I would not do this treatment for ants.
Check for aphids for sure, ants “farm” them by depositing them in your trees, then feed on their excretions.
I use Terro baits when I see ants, and just set one of these on the soil for a couple days, then treat for aphids.
View attachment 245675

Well, I'm sorry the horrible biological mistake. Guess I'll stop using these techniques, then.