Very soon, peonies, like other plants, will be hidden under a thick layer of snow.
But as soon as spring comes and the first buds appear on the bushes, you will probably notice black ants scurrying around them. Why this happens, explained the expert of the online publication "BelNovosti", scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh .
It turns out that insects are attracted by the pleasant aroma emitted by flowers, as well as nectar, with the help of which ants replenish their carbohydrate reserves.
But the answer to the question of whether it is worth fighting these ubiquitous creatures is not so clear.
So, some gardeners are sure that these small creatures gnaw the buds and pump out the juices, which leads to dehydration of the bushes.
According to the opposite point of view, the peony deliberately secretes a sweet bait in the hope that, having eaten its fill of syrup, the ants will begin to grow mycorrhizal fungus under the flowers.
If you are sure that insects do not harm the peonies, you can leave everything as is.
In the same case, if you want to get rid of ants on flowers, try using special products such as "Muravin", "Muravyed", "Raptor", etc.
Expert: Anastasia Kovrizhnykh
