Pest or man

[Phillip]

I walked into the store room and seen this and I said to myself of course, what a large ant mound.

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But wait I see no ants. I move some of the dirt to see if there is any kind of bug in it and there is none.

But what I find is a crack in the floor.

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So the question is did some kind of pest bring the dirt up out of the crack or did man bring it in to cover the crack?

[Nolan Kienitz]

Phil,

Could it be that is some tunnel building going on in the area and they are putting the dug-out material there?

You know ... like an illegal border crossing or how the POWs during WWII worked?

Of course I'm kidding, but I had to throw in the levity!!!! []

[Terence McCann]

Is the material in that picture the same color as your dirt down there Phillip? Our dirt up here is brown. Is the house on a slab?

My condo is on a slab and, in the winter time, I have an ongoing battle with slab ants From the web site: Pavement ants will displace soil around concrete objects such as sidewalks, patios, driveways, curbs, etc. This displaced loose soil may be seen along the cracks or joints in the sidewalks or driveways.

Our flippin' cat will drop a piece of food on the floor and it's just like ringing a dinner bell for the little buggers.

They will bring up dirt from cracks in the driveway like that in the summertime.

[Tom Raymond]

Terry I like that idea, but the pile in the first pic would take an awful lot of ants. I'd think you'd find a few dead soldiers in there.

Tom

[ejager]

What is the ducting above that first mound?

[Jim Katen]

. . . So the question is did some kind of pest bring the dirt up out of the crack or did man bring it in to cover the crack?

And a darn good question it is.

I've seen piles of ant debris that large and larger. But, as you observed, there are usually some ants or ant parts mixed in.

It's also odd that, in the first picture, the pile describes a perfectly even angle of repose. I can't imagine how ants could do that by building up the pile from below. However, I can easily imagine how it could happen by dropping the material from above.

I vote for man.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[AHI in AR]

. . . So the question is did some kind of pest bring the dirt up out of the crack or did man bring it in to cover the crack?

And a darn good question it is.

I vote for man.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

I am not so sure. If it was man, how did it get distributed so precisely on only one side of the crack in the second photo? (see the area at the top of the photo)

If it was dumped or spread in some fashion I would assume that it would be on both sides of the crack. Brought up from underneath, however, it would be easy to deposit where they chose.

[Marc]

I'm with Kevin.

Marc

[Jim Katen]

. . . So the question is did some kind of pest bring the dirt up out of the crack or did man bring it in to cover the crack?

And a darn good question it is.

I vote for man.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

I am not so sure. If it was man, how did it get distributed so precisely on only one side of the crack in the second photo? (see the area at the top of the photo)

If it was dumped or spread in some fashion I would assume that it would be on both sides of the crack. Brought up from underneath, however, it would be easy to deposit where they chose.

Well, that's a good point. There's also the uniformity of particle size that argues in favor of the ants.

Phillip, there's nothing for it but for you to go back and watch the mound for 12 hours or so.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Terence McCann]

Phillip, there's nothing for it but for you to go back and watch the mound for 12 hours or so.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

A few chilly ones, a bag of crisps and I'd join you however it's Mothers day and I've been told I can not go outside and play.

[Phillip]

Is the material in that picture the same color as your dirt down there Phillip? Our dirt up here is brown. Is the house on a slab?

My condo is on a slab and, in the winter time, I have an ongoing battle with slab ants From the web site: Pavement ants will displace soil around concrete objects such as sidewalks, patios, driveways, curbs, etc. This displaced loose soil may be seen along the cracks or joints in the sidewalks or driveways.

Our flippin' cat will drop a piece of food on the floor and it's just like ringing a dinner bell for the little buggers.

They will bring up dirt from cracks in the driveway like that in the summertime.

Terry,

The dirt is the color that I see in ant beds in the drive way and I have found some inside garages and store rooms that color.

The house is on a slab.

[Phillip]

What is the ducting above that first mound?

Combustible air for the water heater.

[Phillip]

. . . So the question is did some kind of pest bring the dirt up out of the crack or did man bring it in to cover the crack?

And a darn good question it is.

I vote for man.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

I am not so sure. If it was man, how did it get distributed so precisely on only one side of the crack in the second photo? (see the area at the top of the photo)

If it was dumped or spread in some fashion I would assume that it would be on both sides of the crack. Brought up from underneath, however, it would be easy to deposit where they chose.

Well, that's a good point. There's also the uniformity of particle size that argues in favor of the ants.

Phillip, there's nothing for it but for you to go back and watch the mound for 12 hours or so.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

The reason I was wondering if it was man is because of no ant parts in the dirt.

Nothing that looks like tunnels in the dirt and the crack on the exterior wall close to that area and size of the crack.

[Phillip]

There was a rolling cart over the crack the dirt when part way under the cart.

[ejager]

Is there any possibility that the dirt came in through the venting? The peak sees to be beneath the duct. Winds outside picking up particles that are drawn into the house?

[Phillip]

Is there any possibility that the dirt came in through the venting? The peak sees to be beneath the duct. Winds outside picking up particles that are drawn into the house?

The vent ends in the attic

[barlyhop]

Could it be sawdust from a woodworker? You say dirt, but it looks quite fine and dry. Maybe mahogany?

We don't have red dirt here, so just curious.

[hausdok]

Nah,

It's dirt, fine silt. That red dirt is everywhere in Alabama.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[angela25]

I walked to the sore room and i saw there a big ant ..i want to hire a professional pest control company ...please can anyone have any ideas.

(URL deleted; admin)

[Erby]

Gotta stay out of that dang "sore room". It hurts.