CLOSED: Tiny Ants and More

I was sitting in my favorite garden spot when I noticed a goodly amount of sawdust on an oak tree. Being a Floridian, I immediate thought, TERMITES!!!!!

I ran inside for my camera (to document) and a screwdriver (to dig around).

What I discovered -- the sawdust wasn't from the tree (whew), but rather some dead creeping fig vine that is still on the tree (I haven't removed it because Creeping Fig CEMENTS itself to every surface and I didn't want to do more damage by removal).

There were three holes drilled into the dead vine (see pic) and when I started removing it, I discovered lots of teeny-tiny ants (also pictured, but hard to see)...

And then... I found this large larval being snug in the vine -- the pic is after I "unwrapped" it for a better pic.

I've checked other trees with this dead vine on it and saw additional sawdust evidence. What are these teeny-tiny ants, their big larvae friend, and should I be concerned about them?

I don't know if Creeping Fig (creep - yeah, right! - it runs!) has any borers that attack it, but I would rejoice that it wasn't in the oak tree. Sorry I couldn't be of any help.

Oh, if they had attacked when it was alive, I would have thrown them a party. It was/is a NASTY fig infestation -- I win every battle, but the war rages on.

I've tried googling these guys, but I keep running into Carpenter Ants... because these guys are so very tiny, I know they aren't the "common" Carpenter Ant.

These ants are all over the area, but they usually keep themselves under rotted leaves at the base of the tree... they're not particularly agressive. I've only had bites one time -- while seated at the base of a tree and working on some plant (distrubing their home), these little buggers bit me THROUGH my pants. My butt was COVERED with fifty-cent piece size ugly red welts. I took some benadryl and a nap and was fine after that.

At least, I THINK they were the same ants. But I've never been bothered by them until now... and want to make sure they're not going after the trees (or my house) next.

You can probably send a sample to the U of Florida for ID, maybe through your Cooperative Extension Service. Give them a call. I get lots of my info from their excellent site....

I'm now wondering if the ants are "Pharoah Ants"... but I've got NOTHING on the Larval Type Being.

I was going to guess Acrobat ants, but they don't look like them from what I can see.

My next guess would be some species of Psuedomyrmex, because these like to live in twigs. Some species sting - especially P. mexicanus, which this does not appear to be (they are black and red colored and larger).

I agree with Ceejaytown that bringing some to U of F or to your local extension agent would be best. If you do, please let us know what they are.


As for the larvae - that would be tougher. I suspect it was some kind of Cerambycidae (did its head get squished?) or something similar. Dead twigs, branches, etc. attract all sorts of critters in that category that take advantage of the dead wood . The larvae can be much more difficult to identify though than the adults.

Thanks, Night_Bloom... looks like I'll be taking a baggie of ants to the Extension Office. ;)

The larval type thing did not get its head squished -- it had a flat end that was attached to the inside of the vine where it was living. And let me tell you, when I "unwrapped" it (but it was still attached), it was an active little bugger -- pulsing, flipping about, and twisting... it finally dropped lose and a nearby lizard had a big squishy breakfast.