I was picking 2-4 ripe figs a day and I wanted to bring some on Saturday where I was going, so I left them alone from Tuesday on. When I went out Saturday morning, each fig I picked was full of ants :-(

I picked all the ripe ones, composted them and am hoping it deters the ants when the next ones start ripening.

Good summer here!

~Chills

What is wrong with the ants:I just blow them away and eat the semidry fruits,and that is when they taste best.!!!!
Ants know exactly when fruits taste best.
You can use them as a gage,of ripening.
Personally I ,many times find only the peduncle and a little bit of the neck,of the fruit on the Branch,and I know it was a squierrell.
Another time I find only the skin three quarter around,and a quarter missing:and I know,it was a cat bird.

Ants are disgusting, for one ;)
They leave behind a distinct chemical odor/essence.
I'm just picky, I guess....

Josh

I don't mind those tiny black sugar ants. It's those nasty biting fire ants that I don't like. In my area, they will literally fight you for what they consider is their fig. Hate those fire ants.........

Dan

I have no problem, personally sharing. Cutting half the fig away to eat what's untouched, problem was these figs had all been tunnelled into and when I split them all I got was ants.

its ok, I brought some pawpaws instead. They were as big a hit as the figs would have been.

~Chills

You dont want ants get tanglefoot. It works excellent for ants they simply cant crawl past it. I use it.
Martin

its on my list for next year. I'm not wading into the plant (behind my raised beds) to spread sticky stuff onto it (besides they're in the tree already)

Thanks

~Chills

Ants usually go down the tree as well as up because they are bringing food back to the ant hill. If you can get to the main stems to paint them with Tanglefoot, listen to Martin. It's likely to save you a lot of figs. I just hate to think of your figs going to waste. Good luck!
Cath