2. The MGS Forum
  3. Gardening in mediterranean climates
  4. Wildlife in the garden (birds, butterflies, and how to attract them)
  5. Ants
« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Ants

  • 4 Replies
  • 5123 Views

Umbrian

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Ants
« on: April 23, 2013, 07:02:25 AM »
The industry of ants never fails to amaze me and I took this 'photo the other day. Between the edge of a path and the gravel adjoining it I noticed a pile of seeds and on closer inspection discovered that ants were busy transporting them in ever growing numbers. Those able to gain access were taking them into a small hole created between the path and the gravel whilst the others were being deposited around it. Now, several days later, a few remain in the area but obviously the majority have been safely taken underground. They looked liked the seeds of Agnus Castus but as the nearest one is quite a long way away I wonder just how far they had carried them - at the time it did not occur to me to follow their trail.
Logged
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

helenaviolet

  • Newbie
Re: Ants
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2013, 04:38:44 AM »
Hi Umbrian,
Here is a 'pet' for your ant collection. Well, it almost looks as if you could put a collar and lead on it and take it for a walk. Oh yes, as big and nasty as it looks too. This is an Australian Red Bull Ant. You will find a lot of interesting information by doing a basic net search. I found this one wandering about in a nearby nature reserve where I live about 12 months ago. I suspect 'she' might have been a recently mated queen; just lost her wings; searching for a place to start a new colony. 
Logged
I live in Central Victoria, Australia. This is very much a "Mediterranean" climate with long hot summers and cold frosty winters. Citrus grows well here. I am interested in species and cultivars of Viola which will grow in this climate.
*

JTh

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Ants
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2013, 11:01:11 AM »
Wonderful pet ant, helenaviolet.

I sometimes wonder if ants are always that smart. This medium-sized ant found a breadcrumb next to our table while we were enjoying our breakfast some weeks ago, the crumb was actually bigger than the ant, but it didn’t seem to stop it. Then a second ant climbed on to the crumb and actually got a free ride for quite a while; the first one didn’t do anything to chase it to lower the burden, it patiently pushed forward. After a while the second jumped off, it probably got tired of the slow speed.  The first ant then found a small piece of plastic cut off from a wire and carried it off. It seems as if a lot of the ants’ struggles are rather random and not all of them very productive.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2013, 11:54:41 PM by JTh »
Logged
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.
*

MikeHardman

  • Hero Member
    • www.mikehardman.com
Re: Ants
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2013, 01:32:56 PM »
 :)

I know what you mean about ants' stupidity. I think the colony owes its success to its numbers and to statistics. That is, on average it gets things right, despite some individuals being way off the mark.

I wonder if the ant mistook that piece of plastic for a piece of alphabetti spaghetti!
Logged
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England
*

JTh

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Ants
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2013, 11:59:51 PM »
It was probably an ant which plans to rewire the anthill.
Logged
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.
Pages: [1]
« previous next »