Size: 0.19 in. Where it lives: Pavement ants most often nest under bricks or pavement, but they are also found in grassy areas near sidewalks and even in extreme environments, like salt marshes. What it eats: Ultimate opportunists, pavement ants eat anything from dead insects to honeydew, a sugary food leaf hoppers produce.
confound - be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly; These questions confuse even the experts; This question completely threw me; This question befuddled even the teacher
It means that you're not sure that what you are being told is correct, but since you can't prove conclusively that it isn't untrue you are giving the benefit of the doubt. Example: A friend says they can't meet with you at the movies because she has to spend time with her family that night.