Help! What are these critters??

[POTAWIE]

The ants use the aphids like cattle. Once the ladybug/larvae finish eating all the aphids, there will be no "honeydew" for the ants to harvest and they should leave your plants alone.

 

[Silver_Surfer]

The ants use the aphids like cattle. Once the ladybug/larvae finish eating all the aphids, there will be no "honeydew" for the ants to harvest and they should leave your plants alone.

Down here the fire ants outnumber the ladies a billion to one. They're EVERYWHERE and it's a never ending battle. The DE helps control them, but they can't be conquered.

 

[LGHT]

Down here the fire ants outnumber the ladies a billion to one. They're EVERYWHERE and it's a never ending battle. The DE helps control them, but they can't be conquered.

There are some options.

 

[Silver_Surfer]

There are some options.

An army of anteaters would be something to consider, but I'm afraid they would dig up the garden and destroy some plant roots.

 

[PrairieChilihead]

Aw...I don't want to kill the little guys. Unless they threaten my plants. Is there a real reason to worry about ants on the plants?

 

[scarpetti]

Keep an eye on those first two pupa pictures. If they come out green with black spots or stripes kill them. That means they're cucumber beetles. Their pupas look very similar to the ladybugs. We're infested with those. Very destructive little buggers!