15 replies to this topic

[Oddyseous]

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.

[Martialis]

They’re fairly well documented as a pest species. Doesn’t stop me from feeding the ones foraging (Not living! Houses are far too dry for that!) in my house.

[Oddyseous]

They’re fairly well documented as a pest species. Doesn’t stop me from feeding the ones foraging (Not living! Houses are far too dry for that!) in my house.

 

Everything i've found on them only shows they're a pest due to farming Aphids. Can you show me where it says they burrow through wood like termites?

[TennesseeAnts]

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.

I've also noticed something similar regarding Crematogaster cerasi. Wild colonies will hollow out the center of branches and twigs on trees, and have some tunnels extending out as exits. But the main nest is just the very center of the branch. They even somehow fit their queen in there.

[Oddyseous]

 

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.

I've also noticed something similar regarding Crematogaster cerasi. Wild colonies will hollow out the center of branches and twigs on trees, and have some tunnels extending out as exits. But the main nest is just the very center of the branch. They even somehow fit their queen in there.

 

 

The first habitat my ants were in they had hollowed wood, already hit by termites at some point. They took over and used those termite holes as starting points. Then excavated out the rest. I woke up to a huge layer of brown dirt not knowing what the hell happened until I realized it was saw dust. It's really interesting seeing them do this. I also believe this is why the new habitat i gave them that had no termite holes at all they moved into in smaller groups instead of one big move (only so much room) and they have for the past 3 days been hollowing out this large brick shaped piece of wood I gave them. Interesting note, the main way of disposing of the saw dust seems to be to carefully walk to a ledge and drop it. Although sometimes they have ants picking up the dropped saw dust and dropping it even further away. Probably to not attract attention to themselves in regards to predators. Such as spiders and black bears. The black bears I still find hilarious I mean how many ants would they have to eat?

[Acutus]

 

 The black bears I still find hilarious I mean how many ants would they have to eat?

 

 

Black Bears are typically eating every minute they are awake! 
Instead of eating a big meal they eat hundreds of very small meals. ant colony here, berries there, acorns here, some roots there. Eating all the time.  Ant larvae are high in Protein.

[Canadian anter]

It's kinda an established thing. Would be like asking where Solenopsis invicta nests

[Oddyseous]

It's kinda an established thing. Would be like asking where Solenopsis invicta nests

 

Nesting in trees isn't what I was saying, as far as I could find they believe them only to take over previous termite colonies and under bark etc... etc... Not actively burrowing through trees and wood themselves. If you can show me something saying otherwise I'd love to see it because I've looked everywhere for it.

[Canadant]

I discovered this on my own the other day, too. I was out anting and discovered a colony or two living in hollowed out tunnels in discarded old construction wood (2 x 4). I just assumed it was what this species did. I'm learning about all kinds of ants these past few years and it never crossed my mind as something that would go unnoticed by serious anting scientists out there. If not, that's kinda cool. 

[Oddyseous]

I discovered this on my own the other day, too. I was out anting and discovered a colony or two living in hollowed out tunnels in discarded old construction wood (2 x 4). I just assumed it was what this species did. I'm learning about all kinds of ants these past few years and it never crossed my mind as something that would go unnoticed by serious anting scientists out there. If not, that's kinda cool. 

 

A discovery that goes un-announced might as well have never happened. Anything I've been able to find on these ants mentions them taking over termite infestations but not causing destruction similar to termites without the termites ever being involved. So, if it was discovered, it hasn't been made clear well enough or mentioned, so here it is! Not all discoveries have to cure cancer or be game changing =)

[Leo]

All the crematogaster I find are in huge logs, and there are waaaaaaay to many crematogaster colonies here -_-

would be nice if you guys could get some for me XD

I found that they seem to carry some sort of fungus with them, any colony of them I catch has that fungus show up in their formicariums.

[ANTdrew]

Interesting stuff. I’ve observed this tunneling in my yard as well. A big colony lives between the wooden posts of a retaining wall, and they are constantly depositing an impressive amount of sawdust on my patio.
Another thing I’m realizing about this genus is how important native vines like trumpet creeper and Virginia creeper are for them. They tend aphids and feed direct on sweet exudates on the vines.

[Oddyseous]

Is it white fungus? Because that showed up in my AC Large Tower so I freaked out and made a custom one they all moved into.

 

All the crematogaster I find are in huge logs, and there are waaaaaaay to many crematogaster colonies here -_-

would be nice if you guys could get some for me XD

I found that they seem to carry some sort of fungus with them, any colony of them I catch has that fungus show up in their formicariums.

 

 

 

Interesting stuff. I’ve observed this tunneling in my yard as well. A big colony lives between the wooden posts of a retaining wall, and they are constantly depositing an impressive amount of sawdust on my patio.
Another thing I’m realizing about this genus is how important native vines like trumpet creeper and Virginia creeper are for them. They tend aphids and feed direct on sweet exudates on the vines.

 

Yeah and the caring for aphids is the only classification of "pest" I've been able to find on them, if it was well known they can be just as termites I'm sure that would be under their pest classification as well. They also seem to enjoy insect meat (mainly green grasshoppers so far) over other meat like a baby dead snake the cats killed I put in there. I've also tried turkey, pork, etc... from my fridge. They could care less.

[Wa.Va]

In Europe, Crematogaster (scutellaris) are known for home invasions. Here at Belgium and the Netherlands we don't have them in the wild. But it's already documented some Invasieve colonies (escapees, but mostly travelers on campers and such) were having giant nests inside houses. Because it is warm enough to survive a winter. We don't have termites. The damage of those colonies harmed a full street of houses. Damaged woodwork etc. Apparently it wasn't easy to get rid of the invasive species.

[Mdrogun]

I have personally witnessed Crematogaster cerasi/lineolata tunneling through wood and depositing the debris outside their nest. 

[gcsnelling]

Crematogaster are definitely known as burrowers in wood. However they will generally not be as destructive as termites as they do not eat only chew it to remove it, additionally they normally dig into wood which is already somehow compromised.