Ants vrs Walnut Tree

[kayakmore]

I have a black walnut (maybe 16 to 18 inch diameter) in the back yard of this house that I just recently moved into. A significant portion of the crown had died along with several limbs on the way up. It had a lot of new growth this spring so I took a close look at it and found a bunch of ants going up and down the trunk. They look a bit smaller than what I call a carpenter ant.

To make a long story short, I topped the dead wood out of the tree to minimize the falling limb hazard. What's the best way to give these ants the boot? Thanks
-Ryan

 

[rebelman]

Don't worry about it. The ants are likely harmless. If you must apply some insecticide granule or spray, that shouldn't harm the tree either. Dont attempt to "seal them off,", by filling holes, likely a harmful practice. Good handle kayakmore, though I'm more for canoes.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

With a handle like that, you must be near the Shenandoah.

 

[kayakmore]

With a handle like that, you must be near the Shenandoah.

Nah, Richmond. The best class III and IV within a 15 minute drive and almost no portage.

So there's no real concern about insects further damaging the tree? Thanks guys.
-Ryan

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

So there's no real concern about insects further damaging the tree? Thanks guys.
-Ryan

No concerns. Ant may even be benificial.

 

[johnha]

Please clarify how they would be beneficial. Thanks.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Thanks John!
You give me a chance to link my favorite site.
http://www.treedictionary.com/

Here's the page about ants. Scroll down alphabetically to ants, and read.
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/A/index.html

Dr. Alex Shigo is pretty sharp. You can doubt his ideas, but without a study showing he's wrong, it's your guess against his.
Google "ants" and learn more.

 

[johnha]

No, thank *you* Mike.

The way most folks talk, you would think that carpenter ants cause problems. My own thoughts were that they may be indicative of a problem but not the cause. That seems to reinforce my belief, at least as far as house framing.

Unrelated but it seems, at least on my property, that the carpenter ants favor the Ash and Maple and pretty much leave the oak, walnut, and hickory alone. Do you think this is the nature of those types of trees?

 

[geofore]

Ants

I think the ants favor any tree that the aphids, they herd em like cows, are willing to suck on. The ants are intrested in honeydew from the aphids they farm. It's when the ants are building a home that you need to worry about. If the tree is in good shape the ants aren't a problem.

 

[pbtree]

Thanks John!
You give me a chance to link my favorite site.
http://www.treedictionary.com/

Mike,

Nice website - thanks for sharing...