The phone rang, and a call came through: "We need you at the park, there are huge black shiny ants everywhere, and the summer lunch program is in full swing." When I got there a few minutes latter, I saw that they were right. It was a battalion of large shiny black ants, commonly called "Black Oak Ants" in our area, from the "Carpenter Ant" family.

"Black Oak Ants" are basically non aggressive, playful looking, and nearly harmless to human beings, they can bite, but can't sting, but they can scare the begetters out of people who don't know that.

I looked around and found it. The old Oak that was the home base for the little critters. I knew it was somewhere close by. I also knew that there would be some kind of damage to the tree, and usually a gross black leakage, and some sawdust as well. I trailed it back, and there it was, a gash in the bark and wood, saw marks still visible, near a large limb connection, with hundreds of the ants entering and exiting.

The damage had been caused by a poorly wielded chain saw, some time ago, and the ants found a nice new home.

While these ants are not dangerous to humans and animals, they are nonetheless, harmful to trees. They don't eat wood, but they build homes in it, and can damage wooden frame structures where moisture is present as well.

That is what had happened here. Someone with a chain saw had done a poor pruning job and left an entry, and now the ants had to be terminated in order for the tree to heal. The old nature versus nature, with a human element added.

It is difficult to explain to many folks, that these ants won't hurt them, they just want them gone. I didn't try to explain. I just went about my business which was easy enough once the source was found. By the time I was gone most of the ants were dead, the children safe, and the worried parents and attendants pleased.

Every action has a consequence in nature, especially as it relates to pests. The way we care for it will have a positive or negative effect. A little extra care by the saw man, could have saved everyone a lot of trouble and unnecessary expense. When we are pruning trees or adding to our landscapes, or any of the myriad of other activities involved in lawn care, gardening, and landscaping, and construction in general, it is good to keep that in mind.

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