hibiscus and ants

[rrrbs29]

The ants love my hibiscus plants. What can I spray on the plant to keep the ants away or kill the ants? I need people and pet safe help.
Thanks RRRbs29

[Grey]

Are the ants actually eating your hibiscus? I've always noticed little black ants on my hibiscus plants, but they never seemed to be doing any harm, mostly I'd find them in the flowers.

What kind of ants are they?

[rrrbs29]

The ants stripped one before. I thik they are little black army ants. I topped watered it and washed it really good with the sprayer. I then took raid ant and roach spray (because thats what I had) and sprayed the plant and the ant trail. I did this today. I checked on it and the ants aren't there and the plant looks good. Our weather has been really hot and they don't like triple digit weather I moved one that I had in a large pot to a cooler always shady place and hopefully when it buds the blooms will flower now instead of just falling off. Back to the ants. The plant may have had aphids too. Hence the ant infestation? I guess, get rid of the aphids I get rid of the ants.

[grandpasrose]

That's sounds most probable to me. Ants don't usually eat plants, but come for either sap (sugar) or other bugs (aphids). Watch for the aphids first before the ants discover them, and you should be okay.
VAL (Grandpa's Rose)

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yep. Ants love aphids...

Try neem oil or pyrethrin based insecticides before using the deadly (to us too!) stuff and you'll have less issues in the long run (as good guys get killed too or just won't show up or hang around...)

Scott

[Grey]

Yep. Ants love aphids...

Scott

Good thing too.

[The Helpful Gardener]

I dunno Grey. They will actually protect their little honeycows from predators like ladybugs, so it's not much of a help really. Just a good tell as to what the real problem is...