Save my willow!

[Bibliobeck]

I'm seeking the advice of all you experts again! After the exploits of the amazing trampolining rabbits attacking my raised bed, the latest plant under attack is the beautiful dwarf Kilmarnock Willow that my colleagues bought me for my birthday this year - it's absolutely teaming with red ants. I've read some other posts and been checking for any tasty pests they may be after but can't see any. They are concentrated at the graft point of the tree and around this area it looks like they are taking thin layers of bark off (the bark has gone white/opaque and seems to be hanging in a ring around the trunk)

The tree has been flourishing in it's new spot and doesn't seem to be suffering any other damage (at the moment). I've been using organic ant killer (Growing Success) which is having very little effect unfortunately (although black ants don't seem to like it much). Should I be worried/try something else?

[poultrychat]

Hello Bibliobeck, I have goats that chew my trees when they get near them and the only thing I ty to make sure of is that they never manage to get a whole ring of bark off as trees so I have been told really don't like that. Willows are pretty hardy so hopefully you will be ok. I would ty something else though just in case it does start to cause the tree a problem

[Alice]

Don't really know anything about this Bibliobeck but there were some recent postings on the Vine about red ants being a sign that you have black fly on the plant. Does your Kilmarnock willow have black fly. If so, getting rid of the fly might get rid of the ants. Sure someone will be along with some expert info.