What kills ants but doesnt harm the plants?

im growing a pumpkin and there are all these ants on it and im afraid it mite eat my pumpkin. what could I do to kill the ants but not the pumpkin or the people

Boiling hot water, it should kill the ants and shouldn't harm the plants.

Other people might have better suggestions . . .

xD

What works really well is vinegar with water.
I'm not a plant expert... can that harm the plants?

Try this stuff called sevin dust. You can get it at a hardware store, lawn and garden place and I think even at like a Walmart. It keeps animals and insects from eating plants, but doesn't harm the plants or the fruit they bear. I've used it before, it works. You just have to remember to sprinkle a little more on each time you water the plants or it rains because it washes off.

I read an article that said to use Grits in a box, sprinkle it around the ant hill and when they eat it their little bodies swell up and die...Or try sticky tape and wrap it around the top of the pumpkin when it gets big enough, in the mean time there is ant bait that the ants take to their hole and it kills all of them...vinegar will kill a plant like weeds so keep that in mind while using it...I use vinegar to kill slugs it work instantly...

Don't think ants eat pumpkins! They may be farming scale insects on plants in the area though I don't think scale normally bother pumpkin plants. Best to watch them for a while and try to work out whether they are up to mischief or not...if not, let them be. White oil spray is a safe treatment for scale. A small container containing Borax with a little sugar mixed in and holes in it can act as a poison bait for ants if necessary.

Put some fresh crushed mint leaves scattered around, they will run outta there faster then you can believe and never to return.