Won me over

I’m sitting in my garden, and suddenly see a leaf on the ground start to move unusually. A harvester ant is clearing the area, moving debris around to set up her anthill. I don’t see obvious wing scars like the last queen, but she has to be one.

I really should catch her and drop her off at the park too, but she’s already working so hard, and it’s cute. 🥺
Then again, I have been stung by these kinds of ants before when one somehow managed to get inside my boot.
Though, I’ve never had this type show up in the house, so at least they’re not as awful as fire ants.

I don’t want her to work so hard setting everything up just for me to decide later that she and her colony have to move…

I’m going to let them stay for now. Hopefully this isn’t a mistake.

“Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise.” 🤭

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LadyGrace ·

That is so kind and sweet of you. I love that last verse hahaha very fitting for society. I would have loved to have seen a picture. I would have had to let them "be", as well.

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LadyGrace ·

@Colonelmustardseed I always did love nature and bugs when I was a kid and I'm no different now except for that I can't stand flies or wasps. Hahaha I freak out at them. Hahaha I got stung by a wasp, while listening to a sermon in church. I did my best to cover up my scream, by following up with "Hallelujah, praise the Lord!", but that didn't work too well. It stopped the whole service. True story 😂😂😂

Colonelmustardseed · 36-40

@LadyGrace That’s terrifying. Funny because you tried to be discreet, but I’d have cried. 😂😭

LadyGrace ·

@Colonelmustardseed

Yep my hands swelled up twice its size. Haha

Matt85 · 36-40, M

yeah they can bite, particularly red ants

Colonelmustardseed · 36-40

@Matt85 The only ones I’ve encountered that weren’t so awful were Argentine ants. I was standing in a pile of leaves once, and they got all over my legs. But not a single one bit me. 😮‍💨
There was an explosion of their anthills in my yard this spring, though, and I did force them to move away.

Iknowyourouttheresomewhere · M

Careful, they will nest in your home 😮
Carpenter ant colonies produce winged male and female reproductives that emerge and swarm during the spring or early summer, they mate during such nuptial flights. Mated females land, shed off their wings and locate a suitable site to start new colonies, meanwhile the males die.

Colonelmustardseed · 36-40

@Iknowyourouttheresomewhere Yeah, they might get really annoying during mating season, flying all around my swamp cooler and garden next year. But I might not mind the rest of the time, just sitting and watching them work.

Iknowyourouttheresomewhere · M

@Colonelmustardseed What ever floats your boat 😀

UnderLockDown · M

If you remove the native ants it leaves the area open to fire ants, so you would just be setting yourself up...🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜

Colonelmustardseed · 36-40

@UnderLockDown I’ve seen fire ants draw and quarter a harvester ant before. 😢 If there ever was a war between them in my yard, I don’t think the harvesters would win.

NinaTina · 26-30, F

You ever get bit by a cow ant

Lilnonames · F

@NinaTina

Colonelmustardseed · 36-40

@NinaTina No. Not sure if there are any in Nevada. They look cool. I definitely wouldn’t let them set up in my yard though. 😅

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