3 -245 UNITED STATATES 



HAS 



Forest Entomology Brief 57« 



LIBRARY 



BUREAU C|F ^J2J^^9C^" f1 q24 



.ecember 15 , 1923. 



A1TTS ABOUT SHADE AND PAR K TPEES AID SHRUBS , 



Ants are frequently found at- out shade and park trees and shrubs 

 and their occurrence may "be due to one of several conditions. 



Many trees are infested by scale insects, aphids, or somewhat 

 similar sucking insects that excrete a sweet sticky liquid. This fluid 

 contains considerable sugar and is eagerly sought and fed upon by ants, 

 so that in many instances the "presence of these sucking insects is re- 

 sponsible for visits of the ants. Under this cone it ion the annoyance of 

 the ants may be eliminated by the control of the sucking insect present. 



Sometimes the ants are attracted to fresh or sap-moist wounds or 

 diseased areas. In such cases cleanings treating, and coating the in- 

 jured places will remove the source of attraction. 



The most frequent cause of complaint, however, is the working and 

 nesting of ants within the trunks and limbs of trees. This type of injury 

 is very common, often following rapidly upon injuries and wounds when not 

 properly treated,, The damage caused by the ants- galleries and the decay 

 which follows, accompanies, or precedes them is often very extensive and 

 rapid, and trees badly weakened sometimes preserve the appearance of 

 health and vigor when they are really dangerous, a menace to life, limb, 

 and property, 



V/hen trees are badly infested by ants the strength of the injured 

 parts must be the guide for determining whether to remove cr preserve the 

 tree;; If it is found desirable to preserve a considerably weakened tree, 

 filling the cavity and bracing can be resorted to for strengthening it. 

 Always the infested and decayed areas should be removed, cutting down to 

 sound wood and then cleaning and coating the cavity or cavities thickly 

 with some waterproof preservative, such as a mixture of equal parts (by 

 weight) of asphaltum and creosote, one-fourth creesote and three-fourths 

 coal tar, or a good white-lead paint, although these materials must not 

 be applied so as to permit their coming into contact with the freshly 

 cut edges of the living bark, -"here a shellac should be used. 



In some instances carbon disuiphid, a poisonous volatile liquid 

 that must be handled with care, kept away from fire and not inhaled, may 

 be injected into the ant galleries, after which all the openings should 

 be kept plugged tightly with some gas-proof material, such as grafting wax 

 putty, or wet clay, for several, days. This will kill the ants in the 

 area fumigate!, but the cleaning and treating of the cavity as described 

 above will still be essential to the preservation of the tree. 



WILLIAM MIDDLETOH 



Specialist in Shade Tree Insects. 



