There are ants in the flower pot of the Aglaia duperreana (Chinese perfume tree), and I wonder whether they can be completely eliminated?

Question: Recently I found ants in the flower pot of my Aglaia duperreana (Chinese perfume tree). I soaked it in water for nearly 4 hours, but failed to kill them all. So I plan to repot it before bringing it indoors in winter to completely eliminate them. I wonder whether this is feasible? When should I do it?

Answer: Ants reproduce and build nests very readily. They not only affect the home environment but also damage the roots and stems of flowers, so they should be eliminated promptly. The usual methods for eliminating ants are:

1. Put several cigarette butts in a cup, soak them for several hours, filter, and pour the liquid where the ants come and go; the ants will be driven out.

2. Take about 10 cigarette butts and 1 part quicklime, add water, stir and soak, filter, then dilute with 30 parts water, and spray it on the potting soil and the bottom of the pot to kill the ants.

3. Bake 2 to 3 chicken or duck eggshells until half-cooked, then grind them into powder and apply it where the ants are causing damage; the ants will then be eliminated.

The method you plan to use, repotting to eliminate the ant nest, is also acceptable; it should be done in mid-to-late April in spring. When removing the old soil, you should remove the ant nest, but also be careful to retain enough of the original soil to ensure the plant survives after repotting.