They're not my pets, but with the onset of spring I'm dealing with the annual ant exodus from my yard into the promised land of my house.

Everyone in my area is dealing with the same thing, but I feel a bit strange because it's not annoying me. Everyone else I've spoken to is really angry about it. They've been calling fumigators, tearing apart their homes, stomping on them in frustration... yet I actually kind of like it.

Of course, that's not to say I'm enjoying them in my house. I have been catching them and putting them outside when I can, and using bait traps to get rid of nests, but I find ants to be really interesting. The way they follow their trails, the difference of sizes between the different jobs, and how they'll become so focused on what they're doing that they don't even notice you.

I caught one of the large soldier ants earlier, along with a couple workers, and watched how one of the workers began cleaning the soldier. Another little worker found something it liked in the jar and was using it's "tongue" thing to get at whatever it was.

I don't know... I think they're fascinating little animals. It would be nice if they'd stay outside, but I can't get angry about them coming in because I know they're not trying to be annoying, and because it gives me the chance to see things I don't normally get to.

Anyone else dealing with these bugs lately?

[possum220]

It nice that you can enjoy the small wonders of nature. They don't eat much either.

I don't have an influx of the little beasties at the moment. They only ever seemed to come in months ago when I had cooked meat so I found out that if I washed the dishes straight away the smell would be gone and so would they.

However if you are talking Silver Fish then I do have them. I don't get upset by them. And they seem to have gotten used to the camphor........so live and let live.

[Travelinglady]

No ant problem right now, thank goodness.

I think ants are fascinating, too. I never had an ant farm. But I did a study in college involving observing an ant colony. They will even rescue their injured comrades!

[Yoda]

You can get rid of them by mixing equal parts of powdered sugar (not regular sugar) and baking soda (mix it well) and placing it where they can find it to eat.

[WobblyWombat]

your story took me back to my childhood and the ant farm I had... I could watch them for hours...

We have honey ants in Australia and I encourage them because they don't bite and they seem to scare of the green ants and bull ants.... Maybe due to their size...




I also get the really huge Jumping Bull Ants


Ants are so interesting

[Just_myself]

We have the big black ants in California, red ones too. Sometimes they go to war, and it's like watching a live chess game with millions of pieces. I always root for the black ones, though, because they don't have venom in their bite.

[Travelinglady]

Oh, yeah, I forgot about the ant wars between the red and the black. They are wild to watch!

[waiting4]

We get ants here, too, of course..usually 'pisquants' or piss ants, and ocassionally we get fire ants which are awful. I noticed tho, when the pisquants die, their little carcasses look like poppyseeds. Hmmm

Mostly we get chinese water beetles and red flying cockroaches. They are truly dreadful and huge, and they also go to war with each other. The black ones almost always win..and I root for them because they don't fly. lol

I think where I live the red ants have been totally pushed out. In the 8 or 9 years I've been here I can't recall seeing a single one The ant adventure seems to be over though. I discovered where they were getting in and sealed it up. Haven't seen any for days, unless I'm outside.

I'm a big jealous that you all get such interesting bugs! The only unusual things I've seen here has been a huge striped June bug one time, and a hummingbird moth late one evening. That latter one was pretty cool

[LaborIntensive]

[waiting4]

Originally Posted by LaborIntensive

Just thought I'd thank you in advance for the nightmares your post will no doubt generate! lol

I hate spiders and that looked more like a spider than an ant.

hehe

Lol! That is a scary ant picture!

[Maven]

It's a spider, actually. I know I've seen that video before, but can't remember where. Probably some old movie.

[Fresia]

I think they are fascinating too and could watch them for considerable periods of time except now, I live where there are carpenter ants. I know if they are on and in the house that they are destroying it and have to take more aggressive steps like your neighbors to get rid of them. I hate having to do it as it is natural for them to be drawn to it but I cannot risk the damage to the home, just as if there were termites.

Am i too old for an ant farm? I'm in my 30s.

[WobblyWombat]

Never

BIG SMILE

[lizardlady]

Here in Florida ants tend to move into the house when the weather starts to cool off for winter or during the rainy season when they are looking for a dry place. I spray the beejeers out of them when they try to move into the house. I leave them alone outside.

I used to like watching them when I was a kid. I guess I still do, but don't make the time for it any more.

We have a kind of ant here called the fire ant because it burns like fire if they bite you. Gotta say I don't like those little blighters!