How Do I Protect My Grapevines From Damage Caused by Ants?

Ants are a common pest in vineyards. The ants feed on honeydew produced by damaging scale and mealybug pests, so the ants will aggressively attack any biological predator of these other pests. This disrupts your ability to control scale and mealybug. Even though the damage caused to grapevines by ants is indirect, it can be severe if the scale and mealybug population blooms because of ant presence. The most effective protection against ants are cultural controls.

Organic compost
French plow
Ant traps

Instructions

- 1
  Lay down a 3 to 4 inch layer of compost mulch around the base of the grapevine. The layer should extend out 2 feet from the front and back of the vine.
- 2
  Remove any plants near the grapes that are drawing mealybugs or aphids. These insects produce honeydew that attracts more ants. Removing the plants will deter the ant population from visiting the area.
- 3
  Use a French plow to cultivate the soil between the vine rows, as recommended by the University of California Pest Management Program. This will keep down weeds that provide shelter to ants, and will also destroy any ant nests in the vineyard.
- 4
  Set out ant traps in early spring and late summer. Use traps that contain grit baits for fire ants, and sugar-water baits for black ants.

Insects in the Vineyard

The Eight Steps to Growing a Grapevine

Growing Grapes