So I'll admit I feel like i'm ratting out an ant colony I really love and enjoy by posting this. However, from everything I've read it would seem, that I've come across a new discovery regarding my Acrobat Ants, specifically, Crematogaster Cerasi. Now I would hypothesize this applies to the Crematogaster family, but I don't have other species to test or verify this. It's known that these ants eat wasps and termites (primarily their unborn). They also have been known to take over Termite nests. However, what I have discovered is this: The termites aren't needed. They are just as destructive to wood, meaning just as destructive to home as termites. Although they will house in other places, they are known to be arboreal(live in wood/trees) what's not known is they carve out their own home as needed in wood. They destroy/dig the wood up as they see fit for their own purpose! The termite takeovers, well, that's like a species of ant that digs in the dirt, and using a pen to start a hole. It's convenient. The termite holes are nothing more than this. They are opportunistic, and will using termite layers as starting points but continue to dig and improve as they see fit. With no termites involved, twice now, with other options available, I end up with layers of saw dust I initially thought was brown dirt. I watch them excavate wood daily, they not only are careful where they put each piece, but they then have a clean up crew who moves the saw dust away from where they initially dropped it. Like garbage men.
So, I love these ants, but if you see them around your home they are just as destructive as termites. This is the new scientific discovery, date stamped in this post! With that said, I'll be buying them some beetle jelly or something to make up for ratting them out.
Edited by Oddyseous, August 26 2019 - 9:06 PM.