Ants on Houseplants: They're Farming Pests, Not Eating Your Plants

Ants on your ficus and jade aren't after the plants—they're harvesting honeydew from sap-sucking insects like mealybugs, scale, or aphids. Control the pests, and the ants leave.

Two Low-Toxicity Solutions

Barrier method: Wrap the trunk with 3-inch masking tape, sticky side out. Ants get trapped climbing up.

Bait station: Mix 4 tbsp peanut butter, 6 tbsp honey, 1 tsp boric acid. Place a dab in a bottle cap on the soil. Workers carry it back to the colony.

Inspect and Treat

Check leaf undersides and stem joints for the actual pests. Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Eliminate the honeydew source, and the ant problem solves itself.