Filling up large holes in base of ash?

[Kneejerk Bombas]

If we leave the problem alone, the tree will surely succumb to the ant infestation.

Fred

It seems the Department of Entomology at Iowa State University, would disagree with you:

"Carpenter ants in trees are not directly harmful to the tree. Control is not essential for the tree's health, as the ants are only taking advantage of an existing situation of soft, weak wood in which to establish their colony. Stress, mechanical injury, environmental conditions, disease or other insects are responsible for killing limbs or sections of the trees in which the ants are able to nest. Once injury has occurred, wood decay can set in if moisture is present; it is the wood decay that gives the carpenter ants the opportunity to colonize the tree. Carpenter ants use knots, cracks, holes and old insect tunnels to gain access to these areas."

From http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1995/5-26-1995/cants.html

According to the Department of Entomology at University of Minnesota:

"Carpenter ants nest in trees in one of two situations: 1) in rotted, decayed wood or 2) in the center heartwood section of the tree. In neither case are they harmful to the tree. Control is unnecessary for the tree's health, as the ants are taking advantage of preexisting soft, weak wood to establish their colony."

From: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/DK1015.html

And here's a good one:


"CARPENTER ANTS IN TREES
Well, I guess so! That's where they're supposed to live! There are carpenter ants in just about every tree. (Often, they're called "tree ants" for that reason) They live in the crotch of just about every tree you can see. And sometimes, because a tree is near the end of its life cycle, you may see a LOT of them. The ants don't hurt the tree. They are not causing the tree to be less viable than it normally would be. They are a symptom, not a cause. No need to spray or treat carpenter ants in a tree. In fact, if you DO treat them, they may migrate to somewhere else - maybe to a place where you don't want them. (Your house?) Just leave them in the tree - they won't hurt anything just where they are. The ants do have a close and harmless symbiotic relationships with all trees, don't worry about them. If anything, they help the tree.
And what if you treat them anyway, what happens? Well, they die. But you don't think they'll STAY dead do you? After awhile, when the insecticide wears off, they'll be back! So why do it? It's just a waste of insecticide, money and your time."

From:http://www.unexco.com/carpants.html

 

[Tree Machine]

I've never read very much on ants in trees, so Thank You, Mike, for posting that. They state it pretty strongly that ants are not the culprit. I would have to agree on pretty much everything that is said there, though they don't cover the fungal end of things, except remotely. The first statement only refers to fungus in relation to the condition it causes

preexisting soft, weak wood

and

wood decay can set in if moisture is present; it is the wood decay that gives the carpenter ants the opportunity to colonize the tree.

The second statement, "CARPENTER ANTS IN TREES" doesn't even mention fungus or decay in any way.






I only mention because this thread is about the hollows in Fred's ash trees, and it is fungus, not ants, doing the decaying.





I'd say that now there is a much better sense about the relationship of Ants and Trees. What I'm intrigued by is the relationship between the Ants and the Fungus, or insects and fungus, for that matter. You find all kinds of crawlies in cavities and hollows, not just ants.


That's not really the topic of this thread, though.

















Or is it?

 

[DeanBrown3D]

(btw its Dean)

I'll take some pics as soon as the area is clear of all the snow we just had.

i.e. in April.

Dean

 

[Tree Machine]

Did I say Fred's ash trees? Sorry bout that , Dean.

Dean's ash trees.


Pics would be cool, but honestly, arborists see this all the time. It's a hole in the base of the tree. It's unfortunately, very common. Holes in trees, regardless of where they are, or how big they are, all happen in pretty much the same way. Certain species are better compartmentalizers and thus more resistant to the penetration of fungus and thus less likely to form a hollow, but no tree is immune. Even the healthiest, best compartmentalizer can form a hollow, given the proper conditions.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Amost every tree has some hollow, and Ash are very good compartmentalizers.
For those of you who don't know much about strength loss due to hollows, here's a link to a good JOA article: http://www.treelink.org/joa/2001/march/04_FORMULAE_TO_ASSESS_STRENGTH_LOSS_FROM_DECAY_kane.pdf
The reading is a little dry, but the information is good to understand if you are making judgment calls on tree removals due to hollows.
I find Mattheck's T/R stuff interesting because it takes into account off center hollows.