» Ants on Peonies – Love Um and Leave Um , But Attack the Earwigs!

Ants on Peonies – Love Um and Leave Um , But Attack the Earwigs!

June 6th, 2006

I have a Peony plant by my front door, it’s beautiful when in bloom, but every year I want to get the spray out and get rid of all of the ants on it. But I don’t.

You see, the ants that accumulate on Peonies are eating a substance produced by the plant, which they enjoy very much, and because they are on the plant, the plant is protected from predators. So it’s a win-win situation.

Earwigs, however, are another story! I was driving to work one day with a handful of Peonies in my car when suddenly I noticed earwigs crawling out of them! I stopped and began shaking them off feverously. This was my first contact with those little monsters, and they scared the crap out of me!

Earwigs are beneficial because they eat predators such as the insect larvae of cutworms and snails, but they also eat everything else!

To get rid of these beasts, roll up a damp newspaper and leave it on the ground where you suspect the earwigs are munching. They will crawl into the paper and start feasting, and then you can put them into a bucket of soapy water in the morning and kill them. You can also put saucers of fish oil in the garden. They will go in for a drink, get covered in oil and drown.

P.S. It’s only a myth that earwigs crawl into your ears and attack your brain, driving you crazy – but they can drive you crazy if you discover them while driving!

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