If you have planted a cherry laurel, you might make the following observation: There are small brown dots on the underside of the leaves that are eagerly visited by ants. But what is it that draws the little crawlies almost magically and what are they doing in such large numbers on the laurel cherry?
Nectar glands attract ants
The small brown dots on the underside of the leaves are living glands from which the cherry laurel secretes sugar-rich plant juices. These are called extrafloral nectarines because they are not in the flowers like many other plants, but on the lower part of the leaf blade. Due to the escaping juices, sooty mold fungi settle in these areas over time, coloring the glands almost black. However, this is not dangerous for the laurel cherry and does not require treatment.
Ants love carbohydrate-rich food
In addition to protein, the useful ants feed on sweet plant juices and sugary excretions from harmful insects. For this reason, ant trails often lead up the cherry laurel to the nectarines, where the animals absorb the secreted plant sap. The path to the coveted source of food is marked with scents (pheromones) so that all workers find it easy to find.
Ants and aphids, a symbiotic community
If you notice damage to the cherry laurel, the ants themselves are not responsible for this. Aphids sucking the plant sap are usually not far away. The ants are magically attracted to the smell of honeydew that the lice secrete during digestion. They milk and care for the pests and also protect them from predators such as spiders and other insects. Aphids are among the animals that reproduce without mating and can therefore form large colonies in a very short time. If you fight the lice in the laurel cherry, the number of ants in the plant is also drastically reduced.
Tips against the ants
To drive away the ants, you can attach caterpillar glue rings to the affected cherry laurel bushes. If possible, fight the ants and aphids without chemicals, since biocides are not only harmful to the animals. The agents also get into the air and into the soil via rainwater and damage the environment due to their longevity.
tips and tricks
If you find several ant colonies under the cherry laurel, you can easily relocate them. Fill a large flower pot with soil, excelsior or straw and place it upside down over the nest. As soon as the ants have colonized the pot, you can pick it up with a spade and place it in a place where the beneficial insects will not disturb you.
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