The vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret), was first reported on table grape varieties in the Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California, in the early 1990’s. This exotic mealybug has spread quickly and now infests raisin, table, and wine grape varieties in an additional 12 counties. The vine mealybug produces a large amount of honeydew which contaminates fruit and reduces its salability. And although not common, large infestations can reduce plant vigor and fruit set. In the Coachella Valley the field ant, Formica perpilosa (Wheeler) often nests at the base of grape vines and aggressively tends populations of vine mealybug located both aboveground (trunk and canopy) and belowground (trunk and roots). Experiments are being conducted to determine if vine can be controlled by reducing populations F. perpilosa. At two vineyards 17 plots consisting of an average of four vines each were surveyed for F. perpilosa and vine mealybug populations. Within each plot a single vine was selected and treated for F. perpilosa using low-toxic bait. Initial results indicate that without the presence of F. perpilosa vine mealybug populations on the trunk and roots beneath the soil surface do not survive. The implications of these results to effectively control vine mealybug populations within Coachella Valley vineyards will be discussed.