Update later on the weekend and weed-fabric progress, but until then,
look away if creepy crawlies bug (ha, no pun intended) you!
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| Red ants |
OK, I know this might seem like a strange post and an even stranger thing to say, but I was happy to find these large red ants. Now mind you, these aren't fire ants. These do sting (or bite) of course, but they aren't really aggressive to you like fire ants are. I remember them from my Summers as a child staying with my Grandparent's in Oklahoma. I used to spend hours watching them go to and from their nest. I have rarely seen them in Houston, and at the farm, I had never seen them.
So during this weekend's unusually good weather, it was nice outside and I just stopped to watch them do their thing and take a few photos.
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| Yet more red ants |
It's fascinating because they are so large and easy to see, you can watch them pick things up and carry them around, follow the same trails, stop to 'communicate' with each other, etc. It's fun, what can I say?
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| Red ants |
Just another day in the country, watching ants, LOL.
Hmm, now that I think about it, is that the same thing as watching paint dry?
We country folk have to find our pleasures where we can!!
ReplyDeleteJane x
Ha, I like that. I told some friends in town at work and they were like "huh? ants?". LOL!
DeleteI've always enjoyed watching someone else work!
ReplyDeleteNow THAT is funny! They were working too. It's really fascinating!
DeleteHOT DOG FOR YOU. Horned lizards eat those kind of ants and that is a good thing. Hope you have some hornies.
ReplyDeleteLOL! You know when we moved to Houston, I saw Horny Toads everywhere, but haven't seen one now in years. Kinda sad, they are SO neat looking.
DeleteCity folk buy "ant farms", we just have the pleasure for free! I love those big ants, actually, any ants other than the fire ants we are cursed with in this area!
ReplyDeleteTrue that!! Free ant farms, I like it! They are fascinating to watch. Fire ants must die, but these are really need to watch. :-)
DeleteThey look somewhat fierce! I guess it is their red colour. Having said that though, the simple pleasure of watching nature at work is nice, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteKirk
PS
A Happy New Year to you both!
They are scary looking in a way, probably their color like you said and they look like the quintessential ant you might seen in a movie or something.
DeleteThank you for popping in and Happy New Year to you both as well.
When I was young (50+ years ago) these ants were prevalent on our land east of Dallas. Their bites are quite painful if you step on their bed. However, when fire ants spread into the area, they seem to have wiped out the big red ants. They are much more aggressive.
ReplyDeleteI greatly enjoy your blog and photos.
I think I have been bitten in my younger days and I do remember it hurting. I didn't realize fire ants were eliminating them....that's sad. Fire ants need to be eradicated, ha.
DeleteThank you very much for your words and comment!! Much appreciated!!
Regular visitor to your blog, love the pics and the stories that go with them.
ReplyDeleteI recently moved to OK from northern Alberta. Needless to say the learning curve on the flora and fauna is very steep. What's the difference between fire ants and red ants? My neighbor told me I had fire ants but I've since learned that she isn't all that accurate on her identifications....actually she's been dead wrong on everything so far! LOL
So how do I tell what kind of ant I've got?
Well hello and welcome!! Thanks for commenting. Oklahoma? From Canada? Bless your heart, that IS a leaning curve huh? And probably culture shock too, ha. OK, these are red ants, they are large, easy to see, probably 1/4"? They run back and forth usually following the same path. They also have like a large hole as their entrance and rarely mound up, it's more just a flat area with a hole they go in and out of.
DeleteFire ants are tiny tiny, and they usually make large mounds of fine dirt. They also come swarming out like crazy if you disturb their mound. Usually one (or several) get you before you even see that they are on you.
Be careful!! ;-)
Ants are pretty amazing creatures to watch, I agree. Makes you wonder if we could learn something from them...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know I'm not the only one. They really do all work together for the good of all. It's fascinating! Thanks for the comment!
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