Archives
Why start an ant farm?
This is my first entry. There was much hesitation on my part to journal this way because I don't know anyone in my circle of friends and colleagues who blog, but the idea interested me. I am an elementary school teacher, special education. During the summer, I attended a week-long science workshop with four other teachers from my school, and our principal. In the mountains of Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, we came close to the smallest of creatures swimming in the clean river water, macroinvertebrates, catching them, identifying them, and then releasing them back into the currents.
Why start an ant farm? I love to observe animals in the wild, and in my own backyard are thousands of such creatures. I decided to purchase the ant farm last week so I could study them, bring it into the classroom to share with my students. I am not a science teacher, but I love teaching about matters of science. I had always wanted an ant farm since I was a child, but was never given one, and had never thought about making my own. Probably, as a child, I spent so much time outdoors watching critters and playing in the dirt that I didn't need to bring them into the house.
The interest of ant farming lay dormant for nearly forty-five years... until I see the cool package touting space-age gel, and the picture on the box of numerous ant tunnels filled with industrious black ants. Ants not included, but, hey, I can catch ants! They're free, in my own backyard. I can't go home without that space-age gel ant farm, and so I buy it. That was last Wednesday or Thursday.
The following Monday: I read the directions on the box. I read the enclosed booklet inside with tips and information about Harvester Ants, but I learn that I can use other species of ants. I can order the ants and get them in the mail, or I can find my own. I opt for the latter. My friend learns of my project, and offers her children to help me catch the ants, but I am pretty certain I can catch all the ants I need. Besides, they might catch the wrong ants, and I have to basically find ants from the same colony. I thank her. I will regret not recruiting her children.
The directions tell me to poke four holes into the gel to get the tunnels started before I put the ants in. I do this. Then I dress appropriately. Socks pulled up over ankles of my pants to prevent stings and bites from disturbed, angry ants. Bug repellant on. Hat on head. Ant farm in one hand, spoon for scooping them up in the other.
I am ready, pleased with myself for taking the time to search and capture my own ants. I have visions of a thriving community of ants, tunnels, and the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' of others as they admire my little ant farm. I know I will want to build my own ant farm one day, one that is bigger, and use dirt, and I will find a queen ant to lay eggs, and they will live several years. As I search the ground at my feet, and as my husband and I turn over stones, these visions of grandeur lead me on to find the attainable, amiable ant.
Have you ever watched ants when they are disturbed? They run fast! Either they see me, or see my shadow, or I disturb the air space around them, I don't know, but every ant I go after dodges me with ease. I feel like the giant in "Jack and the Beanstalk." Jack was able to elude the great giant because he was so small and fast, and the giant was so big and clumsy. That's me, big and clumsy. Those little Jacks are everywhere and I can't scoop up a single one.
I see five kinds of ants as I search: little tiny red ants, bigger red ants, little tiny black ants, medium sized black ants, and huge black ants. I am describing them like I would describe a car. Ask me "What kind of car did she drive?" and I am likely to say, "It's black and has four doors." I know the ants are of different species, but I don't know what they are called. I make a mental note to do some research on the net and find out more about ants later on when I go back in. After considering the choices living in my yard, I finally decide to go after the huge black ants because 1) they don't sting, and 2) they will be easier to observe in the ant farm.
I ditch the spoon... it only gets in the way. After several attempts, I manage to snag two medium-sized black ants without squishing them too badly, and I drop them into my ant farm. Not bad, I think. But I need at least 25 ants according to the booklet.
During the next hour, I catch two bigger black ants, and drop them into the ant farm. The two smaller ones try to climb out while the lid is lifted momentarily, and as my attention is on the two larger ones, the smaller ones are caught in the lid as I replace it. I see them hanging in a squished sort of manner. I don't have time to grieve over the loss, and return to catching the bigger black ants.
My husband starts mowing the yard. I keep my focus, not to be distracted easily. I will not quit until I have my ant colony.
Another hour passes during which I capture two more big ants, and drop them into the ant farm, without any escapee deaths. I sit for a few minutes and marvel at the beauty of the little critters as they try to make sense of their new environment.
They seem to be in panic mode, running up and down the walls, across the underside of the lid. None of them show interest in the wonderful blue gel that was created not only to sustain them nutritionally, but is also their tunnel medium. Truly, they are like little Hansels and Gretels, except they are really all Gretels, and they will be able to eat their way into their new home... that is, when they learn it's edible. The booklet tells me it could take two days before they start eating or tunneling. More waiting.... in science, you have to be patient.
To make this very long story short about how I got to Tuesday: I try to catch ants and put them in a wide-mouthed jar so I can dump several into the ant farm at a time. I still catch them one at a time. It is very tedious, but eventually I have a jar of about 8 ants. As I drop them into the ant farm, several escape, so I end up with only four ants before it's time to cook dinner. Then, with broken heart, I watch the two first ants I caught gang up on one, and then the other ant. They take on a strange battle posture I had never seen in ants. It is all very interesting to me, but not to the two ants who are slain. Before I go to bed, I see that there are only two ants alive, and one has the severed head of its adversary still clinging to its leg. It scurries about, pausing from time to time to shake its back left leg in vain, for the mandibles of the dead head are closed tight.
I go on the internet to find out more about these ants. It seems I have a couple of Carpenter Ants. The booklet says do not use Carpenter Ants. I can see why. They are not tunneling properly... they seem to be chewing up little corners, spreading the gel lumps everywhere, and disregarding the four tunnel holes I started for them. No problem. Tomorrow I will release them, then I will drive to Carolina Biological Supplies and buy 50 Harvester Ants. They're red ants, but I don't care. I just spent two days trying to catch my own ants, and all I have are two Carpenter ants, one with a head attached to its leg. This does not constitute a colony.
I will return to continue the saga of the ant farm. Please be patient. Science takes time.
Besides, I have other, greater things to do with my life, and what I really want to do is observe the ants, not hunt them down.
bgilmore725 at 12:24:00 AM EDT Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | 
digg this
-
I really enjoyed this entry. All that work and you ended up with carpenters ants. LOL...Thanks for sharing. Chris
http://journals.aol.com/cacklinrosie101/ADayintheLife/ -
I loved this entry! You're the first person I've ever met who could hold an interesting conversation about ants. I had an ant farm when I was a kid but my mother hated it.
Dianna
http://journals.aol.com/sazzylilsmartazz/TheHellaciousHeret icGoesAMuse-in/ -
Great entry! The thing we do for our jobs! David
http://journals.aol.com/dwhee70041/SunshineColoradoNotes/ -
lol great entry. I used to try and save all the ants at my house...my mom would try to sweep them out, and I would jump in front of the broom and scream for her to stop. I would take a piece of cardboard, and put a piece of bread on it, and they would all go for the bread, then I would take them out back...of course the next day we did the same thing over..lol
Dwana
http://journals.aol.com/alphamoon65/MoonlightDrive/
8/3/07 5:14 PM
Julie