Ants and Broad Beans

Interesting, a quick visit at lunch time today to open up the greenhouse and water seedlings etc.  On walking round to Plot 1 I found ants all over the BB's..... this time last year (May 10th) same thing and plants were covered in Blackfly by May 23rd.  Stopped at Homebase on my way home to get some ant stuff to put around tomorrow. I believe the ants are "farming" the Blackfly onto the BB's so that they can collect the sweet sticky stuff they secrete when they've gorged on my tender young beans.  Hopefully this year there are many more ladybirds out and about than last year, and my beans are also far more vigorous.  Also nipped out the top shoots of the beans to make them less attractive. Any views on whether I'm harming the ladybirds by putting powder down to get rid of the ants?

I have ants in my en-suite bathroom in a small formicarium. No broad beans though.