About Crematogaster ashmeadi Mayr, 1886
Crematogaster ashmeadi, commonly known as the acrobat ant, is an arboreal ant species that is widespread across the Southeastern United States. This species nests and forages almost exclusively above ground level, and is most often found in treetops and on lianas. It is one of eleven species in the genus Crematogaster that are native to eastern North America. This ant species has been observed raiding the nests of wasps, including the wasp species Mischocyttarus mexicanus, and foraging on wasp brood. It is the most dominant arboreal ant species found in the pine forests of the coastal plains of northern Florida. Colonies of C. ashmeadi inhabit most pine trees in this region, and live in chambers located in the outer bark of living trees that were previously abandoned by bark-mining caterpillars, most commonly caterpillars from the family Cossidae. C. ashmeadi does little to no excavation to create its own nest chambers, relying entirely on pre-existing chambers bored out by other insects.
