AusBonsai

I've been carefully watering a bare rooted repotted callistimon and it is responding well. I decided to remove a branch, put it on the table, looked for the front and found an odd mass of fine sawdust at the back of the tree partly under the roots. A friend said it was borer but borer leaves a gummy patch on the hole in the tree. Had to be ants. I dusted it with Ant Fix, dusted the soil and any crevice I saw in the tree, and out they POURED. Legion upon angry legion. I put the pot in a tray of water... if they were going to jump ship they better be good at swimming [they did and weren't].

12 hours later all was quiet on the callistimon front, not a sign of movement bar the leaves bowing to the breeze. I will let the tree rest and any residual ants depart this earth and then take a dental pick and start to see just what they have done under the bark. This could be an interesting tree, far more interesting than it is now.

G'day, I get a lot of ants too, mainly under the pots of plants that are left on the ground, maybe the like the cool and moist of the earth under a pot. But strangely, it has never seemed to have affected any of my trees. It seems you had a few squillion ants there, I haven't had that yet. But so far, no ill luck for mine. Good luck.

I can't wait to see what 'natural carving' they have done. Please post a picture when you get time.

Regards,
Steven