Ants eating radishes

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Steveharford

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Ants eating radishes
« on: May 17, 2013, 06:59 »
I picked some radishes for mum yesterday (she adores them) and noticed a few we're nibbled so I intended putting some slug pellets down yesterday evening. Firstly I pulled a few for us and then noticed it was ants causing the damage. That's a new one on me. Has anyone else come across this? And how best to deal with them as I don't really want powder on my radi.

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sunshineband

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Re: Ants eating radishes
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2013, 07:30 »
Steve, ants don't eat radishes so I think your first response that it was slugs is likely to be correct. There are very small ones hat live in the soil, so a few pellets will 'cure' them  :)

The ants were coincidental. If there is a nest nearby, digging it a bit will re-firm the soil
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Salmo

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Re: Ants eating radishes
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2013, 10:28 »
Yesterday I too noticed ants crawling over a radish that had damage consistent with slugs. I wonder if there is something in the radish that they want and can get where there is a wound. Ants never do anything without a purpose.

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Mark's Sussex Allotment

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Re: Ants eating radishes
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2013, 12:52 »
Will the ants attack the radish once a hole has been created by another critter?

This happens with rhubarb....

I dont think they actively go after these things, but get attracted to them, when they can smell the sugary insides.....
When weeding, the best way to know if its a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull it.

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Steveharford

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Radish nibblers
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2013, 19:51 »
Sorry to bring this up again but can't find the original thread. Anyway I have just pulled a few more radi and found a couple of these grubs so wondering if they are the culprit. I should say that I recently posted re the same problem and most people thought it is slugs but I don't think so.
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Yorkie

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Re: Ants eating radishes
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2013, 20:04 »
Found the original thread and merged it here for you, Steve  :)
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Trillium

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Re: Ants eating radishes
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2013, 20:29 »
It almost looks like a cutworm, but it isn't. Nor is it a cabbage maggot, but similar. Not sure what you have but next season you'll have to make sure you grow radishes elsewhere for a few years so this pest can't multiply.

And Salmo is right - ants tend to investigate existing damage and will harvest anything useful that they can access. The lowly radish has iron, sugar, calcium, protein, and lots of vitamin C and all of these are very useful for them.

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barley

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Re: Radish nibblers
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2013, 21:29 »
Sorry to bring this up again but can't find the original thread. Anyway I have just pulled a few more radi and found a couple of these grubs so wondering if they are the culprit. I should say that I recently posted re the same problem and most people thought it is slugs but I don't think so.

snap ... same problem here , leather jacket grubs are on mass here this year , they are doing my head in !!!!

looks like thats what your grub may be , some of mine have been that colour to as well as the usual grey , squidge them or feed to chooks and savour the moment of their demise , troublesome little critters

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Steveharford

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Re: Ants eating radishes
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2013, 21:43 »
Many thanks yorkie

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Steveharford

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Re: Ants eating radishes
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2013, 21:51 »
Looks like you might be right Barley.    http://ladybirdplantcare.co.uk/leatherjacket.html.      They are apparently commonly found under turf and my radi are planted at the end of the bed adjacent to the lawn so I will cut the edge well back tomorrow to see if that has any effect. As the larvae of the daddy long legs it is even more strange that I noticed loads of the adults flying about today. Surely that is exceptionally early?

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barley

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Re: Ants eating radishes
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2013, 21:55 »
Iam surrounded by feilds here so theirs no escape for me , it was like this about 5 years ago so thankfully its not every year

I think the seasons are so up the swannie this year plants and insects alike are all confused  :wacko:



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