Ant found in tort table, dangerous?

[Yvonne G]

In my opinion, it depends upon the type of ant you're talking about. The black ants only come in after a nesting sight and whatever food they can find (not tortoises). The red ants are a different ballgame. They for sure will harm your tortoises.

 

[John Franzwa]

I can't say one way or the other to be honest with you ants in my experience have no Rhyme or Reason as to what they go after. if they find something they like they will come if not they won't. Destroying the colony is the best way to go. but I've used boric acid and dichotomous Earth to great effect over the years

Thank you so much

 

[John Franzwa]

In my opinion, it depends upon the type of ant you're talking about. The black ants only come in after a nesting sight and whatever food they can find (not tortoises). The red ants are a different ballgame. They for sure will harm your tortoises.

It's a black ant

 

[John Franzwa]

In my opinion, it depends upon the type of ant you're talking about. The black ants only come in after a nesting sight and whatever food they can find (not tortoises). The red ants are a different ballgame. They for sure will harm your tortoises.

I've never seen a red ant before

 

[Rue]

It's one ant. If you are worried kill it. Then it can't go back to the nest and bring reinforcements.

I live on an anthill and have for 20 years. They haven't brought an armegeddon.

 

[jaizei]

It's one ant. If you are worried kill it. Then it can't go back to the nest and bring reinforcements.

I live on an anthill and have for 20 years. They haven't brought an armegeddon.

...yet.

 

[Tom]

It's one ant. If you are worried kill it. Then it can't go back to the nest and bring reinforcements.

I live on an anthill and have for 20 years. They haven't brought an armegeddon.

Did you read what I wrote?

I don't know how it works in the frozen North, but down here ants kill tortoises. Happens all the time. The fire ants in the south east are even worse than the ones I have here.

 

[Rue]

I read what you write. Did you read what I wrote?

I said one ant wasn't an issue.

Thousands may well be a different story...depends on the species of ant and on the circumstances.

 

[Rue]

...yet.

...oh when the ants come marching two by two...hurrah hurrah...

 

[Gillian M]

...oh when the ants come marching two by two...hurrah hurrah...

Wow.....in such a case the place would become an "occupied territory" so as to say.

 

[Tom]

I read what you write. Did you read what I wrote?

I said one ant wasn't an issue.

Thousands may well be a different story...depends on the species of ant and on the circumstances.

Do you know a lot of ants that hang out all by themselves, alone, with no colony?

 

[JoesMum]

So much depends in where you live with ants. Clearly some are much more of a threat than than others.

Tom is right. You never get a lone ant and if one finds its way in then others can follow.

That said, sometimes a single ant can come indoors on clothing or shoes and it really isn't anything to worry about. It won't last without its colony. Squish it and the problem is gone then keep an eye open for any friends.

Then keep in mind the ants around you. If your ants are the type that can give you an itchy nip and a nuisance if they get in your food cupboards but nothing more, then don't panic.

Here in the UK our ants are a nuisance, nothing more.

 

[John Franzwa]

I live in Minnesota and I think we just have the black ants but I could be mistaken I've never seen any others before.

 

[Rue]

Do you know a lot of ants that hang out all by themselves, alone, with no colony?

Ants send out scouts. Scouts leave scent trails so they can find their way back home. If the scout can't find its way back home, it's toast. If you interfere with the scent trail you interfere with communication. Keep things clean.

Distance from the nest will, to some degree, affect communication. If you're on top of a nest, there will a higher scout density. If a scout wanders further from the nest, the total density of ants will be less. So again, one ant doesn't tell you much and won't hurt anything.

Do you have to be vigilant? Always a good idea. If you see many ants...if you see an ant trail, or an ant highway (we have them in our lawn), that's a sign of an established nest close by.

Killing a colony that is close by might be necessary depending on the species and the circumstances. I tend to leave our nests alone, but if I'm going to be stepping in one every time I go out to garden, well, that colony has to go. We also have carpenter ants - so I keep an eye out for issues with them. Even I have a limit to what I'll tolerate.

There are upwards of 20,000 species of ants. Of those 3-4 are pest species in North America. There are a few more species of concern in South America and Australia.

So - let's not panic about one ant of an unknown species. Ants are a very important component of the eco-system and the vast majority of ant species are very useful, totally benign, or at worst, a nuisance.

 

[Tom]

Ants send out scouts. Scouts leave scent trails so they can find their way back home. If the scout can't find its way back home, it's toast. If you interfere with the scent trail you interfere with communication. Keep things clean.

Distance from the nest will, to some degree, affect communication. If you're on top of a nest, there will a higher scout density. If a scout wanders further from the nest, the total density of ants will be less. So again, one ant doesn't tell you much and won't hurt anything.

Do you have to be vigilant? Always a good idea. If you see many ants...if you see an ant trail, or an ant highway (we have them in our lawn), that's a sign of an established nest close by.

Killing a colony that is close by might be necessary depending on the species and the circumstances. I tend to leave our nests alone, but if I'm going to be stepping in one every time I go out to garden, well, that colony has to go. We also have carpenter ants - so I keep an eye out for issues with them. Even I have a limit to what I'll tolerate.

There are upwards of 20,000 species of ants. Of those 3-4 are pest species in North America. There are a few more species of concern in South America and Australia.

So - let's not panic about one ant of an unknown species. Ants are a very important component of the eco-system and the vast majority of ant species are very useful, totally benign, or at worst, a nuisance.

Lovely post. Who here do you think doesn't know all that?

"Its just one ant, don't worry about it." Is still bad advice.

"When you see one, there are many more, so deal with it ASAP, BEFORE you have a major problem." Is still good advice.

That one scout left a pheromone trail on his way in. Even if he doesn't make it back, the scent trail is already there.

It will do no harm whatsoever if the OP puts down a harmless Terro ant bait, and nothing happens. On the other hand, if he follows your advice to not worry about just one ant, he could come home from work tonight and find his tortoise swarmed and dead. Do you not see this?

 

[Rue]

Lovely post. Who here do you think doesn't know all that?

"Its just one ant, don't worry about it." Is still bad advice.

"When you see one, there are many more, so deal with it ASAP, BEFORE you have a major problem." Is still good advice.

That one scout left a pheromone trail on his way in. Even if he doesn't make it back, the scent trail is already there.

It will do no harm whatsoever if the OP puts down a harmless Terro ant bait, and nothing happens. On the other hand, if he follows your advice to not worry about just one ant, he could come home from work tonight and find his tortoise swarmed and dead. Do you not see this?

I have no idea who knows what. Everything is new to everyone at some point.

If you want to put down ant traps as a preventative, that's fine. In my experience they don't work very well, but they also don't hurt anything, so go right ahead if it makes you feel better.

I'd like to see what data you are referring to...where one single random ant in the morning resulted in the death of a tortoise by the afternoon. I can't, off the top of my head, even come up with extenuating circumstances that would lead to that.

Lovely post. Who here do you think doesn't know all that?....Do you not see this?

Now I have to ask. Are you always so rude? If you'd rather I left the forum, just ask me to, and I'll consider it.

 

[TortoiseWarrior]

Hey, I been wondering why I saw a baby red ant one day in my window. I killed it, then three days later I saw another. I'll be right back going to go kill.

 

[Rue]

It wasn't a baby ant. Baby ants look a lot like little maggots (maggots are what we call baby flies). It was just either a small adult of that species, or just a species of small ant.




http://www.antnest.co.uk/antlarvae.jpg

 

[wellington]

Everyone has given good advice. There is no need to get rude are sarcastic. Everyone's opionion and/or knowledge is welcomed here. Keep it friendly and on point, which is not each other!
I for one know nothing about ants except some I don't mind, others I do.

 

[John Franzwa]

Thank you everyone so much for the help, and I mean every one thank you all so much!