---
title: "Are ants harmful to plants? I have 15 plants in our lanai, and ants…"
description: "Are ants harmful to plants? I have 15 plants in our lanai, and ants are crawling all over them. How can I get rid of the ants without hurting the plants?…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/bNRDFzzrBSbJLdAejjYb5R"
community: "Pests, diseases and problems"
author: "J.A."
published: "2026-07-24T23:21:30.253711Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v2/cloudinary/global_data/communities/pestsDiseasesAndProblems.jpg"
---

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# Are ants harmful to plants? I have 15 plants in our lanai, and ants…

_Posted by J.A. on 2026-07-24_

Are ants harmful to plants? I have 15 plants in our lanai, and ants are crawling all over them. How can I get rid of the ants without hurting the plants? Thanks in advance!

## 5 comments

### Karzdan commented on 2026-07-24

Ants by themselves are not a threat to a plant. Unless they are leafcutters. But they will protect aphids from predators as aphids excrete a sweet substance that the ants love. Just set up ant traps. The ones that the ants take back to the Hive. That will kill them off pretty quickly.

#### J.A. replied on 2026-07-24

Thank you!

### SuccySuccy commented on 2026-07-25

Idk but I want a lanai — like in the golden girls 💛🪴

#### J.A. replied on 2026-07-25

Lol, I love ours! :-)

### AcesHigh commented on 2026-07-26

Too many ants means aphids. So time to do some pesticide treatments! Now my vanda orchids will gets ants when it blooms and then they go away. But i would check real good for other pests.

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