What is this?

[MissSkittles]

I love having the little slices of a forest in my bioactive enclosures, but sometimes trying to figure out if there’s unwanted pests drives me crazy. Then trying to naturally eliminate said pests and just get out the straitjacket! Yesterday I found some concerning signs in several enclosures. In one, I found in the soil of a hanging plant, what looked like sawdust…like something had been chewing a branch over the pot. But, there is no branch over the pot or close enough for it to be that. I moved soil around to see if it was ants, but nothing.
Across the house, Lucky was having a rare moment of letting me touch him and I gently rubbed an area of some stuck shed flakes. Just that one little spot seemed sticky. I checked the leaves of his money tree and while I can’t tell if they’re sticky, I don’t see any signs of pests on them (yet?). Across the room I checked Stella’s hibiscus and yes, the leaves seem slightly sticky, but no visible pests (yet). She hasn’t devoured it down to the branch either, which is unusual for her. Not sure if it’s the plant or her getting up there in age. Then a pile of the sawdust stuff again but in Stella’s enclosure at the base of her money tree…all over dead leaves and loaded with springtail activity. Again, no branch above this specific area and no ant activity when I stir the soil. . Anyone have any ideas what I may be dealing with?
I’m so hyper-vigilant about the risks of bringing pests in with plants and wash them so thoroughly down to bare root that I almost kill them. This is Floriduh though and there’s going to bugs.

 

[Beman]

@jamest0o0 might know.

 

[jamest0o0]

Hmmmm honestly from the picture(it’s hard to tell against the leaves/soil), but it looks like an ant dumping ground. Could be a wood boring beetle, but usually you’d see the pile next to where ever they bored into. If it’s ants and not a dangerous variety, you can use boron traps to safely wipe them out. the stickiness could be from ants ‘farming’ pests on your plants for the honeydew they drop

 

[MissSkittles]

Crappy ants are probably it then. I had some last year become a problem (invaded my cricket bin) and thought I had wiped them all out. If I put boron traps inside of my enclosures (covered to keep chameleons out), will it kill my clean up crew?
It’s a true challenge treating and preventing insects in that room without harming my animals. I have diatomaceous earth all over the window sill and upside down bin lids to sit my bug bins on to keep unwanted bugs out. Then since I can’t spray anything in/near that room (don’t laugh) I sprayed one of the preventative home defense products on lengths of paper towel and once fully dried, jammed that against the base of the walls. Then there’s the Terro ant baits and roach traps all over. I’ve been hoping that’s enough to wipe out and prevent anything that may get in and also any of my feeders that might escape. I am open to any additional suggestions that anyone may have. Yes, moving to Canada has been considered but it isn’t feasible.

 

[jamest0o0]

I had ants before in enclosures and the terra traps(borax/boron) worked great. I’d imagine if other insects ate it they could die too, but it’s a slow acting digestive disruptor. So it’s not like a wide scale pesticide, I can’t imagine it would wipe everything out, especially if the ants are eating it up.

 

[MissSkittles]

Thanks @jamest0o0