Fw: Fw: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico
I would sure like to know if guano from an insectivore works! I like the idea of going after the leafcutters garden. I am going to try growing some Jack Beans and putting the leaves on the mounds - supposed to kill the leafcutter's fungus. --- On Mon, 2/1/10, JSSchneider1 jsschneid...@peoplepc.com wrote: From: JSSchneider1 jsschneid...@peoplepc.com Subject: Fw: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico To: Edie Ymail Clark ediecl...@ymail.com Date: Monday, February 1, 2010, 10:22 PM Edie, Another reply from your leaf-cutter ant notes - Original Message - From: Cook, Brett To: JSSchneider1 ; texascavers@texascavers.com Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 9:42 AM Subject: RE: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico I’m with you. They stop being fascinating when they strip plants that are important to you. The only thing I’ve found that stops them is Tanglefoot. They check it out, find out it’s too gooey to cross, and move on. It works, but it takes a lot of time to apply and re-apply to each plant. I finally decided that if they’re going to attack my garden, I’m going after theirs. I’ve been looking for a good fungicide I can spray my plants or the ground with that will deter them, but no luck so far. Bait doesn’t work, and poison on the mound only makes them look for an alternate route. I even tried a systemic on my plants called Imidacloprid. It kept the aphids away, but not the leaf-cutters. This year, I’m going to try fertilizing with guano from an insectivore. Bat guano is supposed to have anti-fungal properties, and being an insectivore means there’s a possibility of spreading an insect-specific pathogen that will affect the ants. I’ve read that some folks have had success with collecting the wastes from the ants themselves and scattering that around their plants. I have yet to find an ant waste pile. Brett From: JSSchneider1 [mailto:jsschneid...@peoplepc.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 4:36 PM To: Texas Cavers Subject: Fw: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico I used to think they were fascinating until they began to cart off most of my garden seedlings. A M's website has some useful information on Texas Leafcutters. The only thing I have found that works is to follow their trail back to the mound, and either use Amdro Ant Block ( not just regular Amdro), or Viper ( permethrin- which is a synthetic pyrethrin). Viper works right away, and Amdro Ant Block takes a couple of weeks to work.You have to keep at it. The label says you can dust your plants with Viper, but I don't put anything directly on my vegetable garden plants, just on the ant mound. --- On Mon, 1/18/10, JSSchneider1 jsschneid...@peoplepc.com wrote: - Original Message - From: Gill Edigar To: Denise P Cc: TexasCavers Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 10:31 AM Subject: Re: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico I am pretty sure--like 99%--that we had them in South Texas when I was a kid. I remember well watching them but don't recall a specific location--meaning, probably, that they were a common enough occurrence that they didn't invoke any great interest worthy of remembering. There were some ants in South Texas that made underground nests which humped up above ground (sorta like fireant mounds except 10x bigger) and which created large subsurface voids. On more than one occasion we were unlucky enough to drive over these mounds hidden by tall pasture grass and the front tire of the pick-up fell into them and the truck got stuck and we had to get towed out. It is my recollection that these were a type of leaf-cutter ant which, by the way, don't (or didn't) sting. Those events DID create specific memories. --Ediger On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 9:29 AM, Denise P pepabe...@hotmail.com wrote: I have heard a number of gardeners in the central Texas area complaining about them decimating their crops. I hear they are very hard to control. -d From: bmixon...@austin.rr.com To: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:23:50 -0600 Subject: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico A few months ago there was a thread about leaf-cutter ants. Here's something new about them from the Yucatan . Such ants can usually be seen busily at work in Bustamante Canyon . I don't recall seeing them
RE: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico
I'm with you. They stop being fascinating when they strip plants that are important to you. The only thing I've found that stops them is Tanglefoot. They check it out, find out it's too gooey to cross, and move on. It works, but it takes a lot of time to apply and re-apply to each plant. I finally decided that if they're going to attack my garden, I'm going after theirs. I've been looking for a good fungicide I can spray my plants or the ground with that will deter them, but no luck so far. Bait doesn't work, and poison on the mound only makes them look for an alternate route. I even tried a systemic on my plants called Imidacloprid. It kept the aphids away, but not the leaf-cutters. This year, I'm going to try fertilizing with guano from an insectivore. Bat guano is supposed to have anti-fungal properties, and being an insectivore means there's a possibility of spreading an insect-specific pathogen that will affect the ants. I've read that some folks have had success with collecting the wastes from the ants themselves and scattering that around their plants. I have yet to find an ant waste pile. Brett From: JSSchneider1 [mailto:jsschneid...@peoplepc.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 4:36 PM To: Texas Cavers Subject: Fw: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico I used to think they were fascinating until they began to cart off most of my garden seedlings. A M's website has some useful information on Texas Leafcutters. The only thing I have found that works is to follow their trail back to the mound, and either use Amdro Ant Block ( not just regular Amdro), or Viper ( permethrin- which is a synthetic pyrethrin). Viper works right away, and Amdro Ant Block takes a couple of weeks to work.You have to keep at it. The label says you can dust your plants with Viper, but I don't put anything directly on my vegetable garden plants, just on the ant mound. --- On Mon, 1/18/10, JSSchneider1 jsschneid...@peoplepc.com wrote: - Original Message - From: Gill Edigar To: Denise P Cc: TexasCavers Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 10:31 AM Subject: Re: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico I am pretty sure--like 99%--that we had them in South Texas when I was a kid. I remember well watching them but don't recall a specific location--meaning, probably, that they were a common enough occurrence that they didn't invoke any great interest worthy of remembering. There were some ants in South Texas that made underground nests which humped up above ground (sorta like fireant mounds except 10x bigger) and which created large subsurface voids. On more than one occasion we were unlucky enough to drive over these mounds hidden by tall pasture grass and the front tire of the pick-up fell into them and the truck got stuck and we had to get towed out. It is my recollection that these were a type of leaf-cutter ant which, by the way, don't (or didn't) sting. Those events DID create specific memories. --Ediger On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 9:29 AM, Denise P pepabe...@hotmail.com wrote: I have heard a number of gardeners in the central Texas area complaining about them decimating their crops. I hear they are very hard to control. -d From: bmixon...@austin.rr.com To: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:23:50 -0600 Subject: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico A few months ago there was a thread about leaf-cutter ants. Here's something new about them from the Yucatan. Such ants can usually be seen busily at work in Bustamante Canyon. I don't recall seeing them in Texas, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were found in the valley. -- Mixon JIM CONRAD'S NATURALIST NEWSLETTER Issued from Hacienda Chichén beside the Maya ruin of Chichén Itzá in the central Yucatán, MÉXICO January 17, 2010 ** RETURN OF THE LEAFCUTTER ANTS The owners of Hacienda Chichen are justly proud of their pro- environment policies, which includes using as few chemicals as possible. The other day a worker not yet clear about the policy poisoned a large leafcutter nest because the ants had begun defoliating a Tropical Almond tree in the parking lot. As soon as we saw what had been done we made every effort to scoop all the poison and contaminated soil into plastic bags and dispose of the bags properly. Before the poisoning attempt, every day I'd seen the ants carrying bits of herbage back to their nest. However, after the poisoning for two weeks not a single ant was seen at the nest. I felt sure that the whole colony had been wiped out. It had been a colony as large as the one we saw last year at Yokdzenot. You still can read about that big nest and see it at http://www.backyardnature.net/yucatan/ant-lfcu.htm Wednesday morning, there were ants again. Moreover, not only had the colony resumed its earlier foraging habits, but also
Fw: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico
I've tried diatomaceous earth - sprinkling it around seedlings to keep the leafcutters out. It does work somewhat, but when you water the plants or if it rains, it has to be renewed, and it really didn't work that well for me. I've had leafcutters destroy seedlings that were circled with diatomaceous earth. Leafcutter ants leave a chemical trail to the plants they are attacking. Orange oil has a strong odor that disrupts the leaf cutter's chemical trail. You buy it in the concentrated form and dilute it, and spray it on the trail. It works fairly well, but has to be reapplied frequently, and rain will wash it away. I imagine cinnamon works the same way, by disrupting the ant's chemical trail. Orange oil concentrate might be cheaper than cinnamon. One thing that might protect small trees is Tanglefoot and tree tape. You wrap the trunk with paper tree tape, and smear the extremely sticky Tanglefoot on it. Ants are trapped in the sticky residue. You can buy diatomaceous earth for gardens, orange oil concentrate , and tanglefoot in Austin at The Natural Garder, The problem is that leafcutter ant colonies can be huge, covering an acre, and can have millions of ants, especially if you have sandy soil as we do in the Sand Hills. The tunnels are 15-20 feet deep underground, and there are many side entrances. If you disrupt one path to your plants, leafcutters will just find another. In hot weather, they work at night while you are sleeping, and the next morning your seedlings will be stripped of all their leaves. They even destroyed my onions and habanero peppers. Leafcutters don't eat the plants, they use them to grow a fungus underground, so the usual baits don't have any effect on them. I have found that following the trails to the mounds and treating the mounds with permethrin works. Permethrin is a synthetic form of pyrethrin, found in chrysanthemum flowers. It attacks the ant's respiratory system. It's not long lasting, and the directions say you can even use it on your plants, but I only use it on the mounds. We use the brand Viper which Callahan's Feed Store carries. I've also tried Amdro Ant Block, ( also at Callahan's ) which you apply to the mounds, and over time is supposed to eliminate them. Since last October, I haven't seen any leafcutters active in the old mounds, or in my garden. We still have lots of them active in other parts of our land. I've read that Jack Bean leaves (Canavalia ensiformis) sprinkled on leafcutter mounds will kill the leafcutter ant's fungi. I have some seeds and may try planting some Jack Beans this year. Of course the leafcutters have to haul the Jack Bean leaves into their mounds for this to work. I've also read that Sesame planted near the mounds works as well. I ordered Jack Bean seeds from www. Banana-tree.com I hope someday, AM will find a Phorid fly parasite for Texas Leafcutter ants, as they have done for Fire Ants. From: JSSchneider1 jsschneid...@peoplepc.com Subject: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico To: Edie Ymail Clark ediecl...@ymail.com Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 9:54 PM - Original Message - From: Louise Power To: jsschneid...@peoplepc.com Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 7:18 PM Subject: RE: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico If you just want to make them go away and not kill them, sprinkle about a 2 or 3-inch strip of diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your garden. If they're like other ants, they won't cross it. For them, it's like us trying to cross a large section of blades-up razorblades. If they do cross it, it abrades the carapace and they bleed to death. Generally, once they've seen it and a couple have tried it, they just go bother someone else. Best of all, it's non-toxic and safe for people and other living things. See the following website: http://www.dirtworks.net/Diatomaceous-Earth.html Also, try sprinkling cinnamon around smaller areas you want them to stay out of. I don't know if it's the smell or the consistency. All I know is that if I see them coming in at the window, I sprinkle some on the sill and an hour later, they're gone and don't come back. It's sort of expensive; that's why I only use it on my windowsills or in other small areas. NOTE: Do not use the kind of diatomaceous earth used in pool filters. It's heated and treated and doesn't work. I think it's also toxic. Louise From: jsschneid...@peoplepc.com To: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:36:06 -0600 Subject: Fw: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico I used to think they were fascinating until
Fw: Fw: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico
I used to think they were fascinating until they began to cart off most of my garden seedlings. A M's website has some useful information on Texas Leafcutters. The only thing I have found that works is to follow their trail back to the mound, and either use Amdro Ant Block ( not just regular Amdro), or Viper ( permethrin- which is a synthetic pyrethrin). Viper works right away, and Amdro Ant Block takes a couple of weeks to work.You have to keep at it. The label says you can dust your plants with Viper, but I don't put anything directly on my vegetable garden plants, just on the ant mound. --- On Mon, 1/18/10, JSSchneider1 jsschneid...@peoplepc.com wrote: - Original Message - From: Gill Edigar To: Denise P Cc: TexasCavers Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 10:31 AM Subject: Re: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico I am pretty sure--like 99%--that we had them in South Texas when I was a kid. I remember well watching them but don't recall a specific location--meaning, probably, that they were a common enough occurrence that they didn't invoke any great interest worthy of remembering. There were some ants in South Texas that made underground nests which humped up above ground (sorta like fireant mounds except 10x bigger) and which created large subsurface voids. On more than one occasion we were unlucky enough to drive over these mounds hidden by tall pasture grass and the front tire of the pick-up fell into them and the truck got stuck and we had to get towed out. It is my recollection that these were a type of leaf-cutter ant which, by the way, don't (or didn't) sting. Those events DID create specific memories. --Ediger On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 9:29 AM, Denise P pepabe...@hotmail.com wrote: I have heard a number of gardeners in the central Texas area complaining about them decimating their crops. I hear they are very hard to control. -d From: bmixon...@austin.rr.com To: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:23:50 -0600 Subject: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico A few months ago there was a thread about leaf-cutter ants. Here's something new about them from the Yucatan. Such ants can usually be seen busily at work in Bustamante Canyon. I don't recall seeing them in Texas, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were found in the valley. -- Mixon JIM CONRAD’S NATURALIST NEWSLETTER Issued from Hacienda Chichén beside the Maya ruin of Chichén Itzá in the central Yucatán, MÉXICO January 17, 2010 ** RETURN OF THE LEAFCUTTER ANTS The owners of Hacienda Chichen are justly proud of their pro- environment policies, which includes using as few chemicals as possible. The other day a worker not yet clear about the policy poisoned a large leafcutter nest because the ants had begun defoliating a Tropical Almond tree in the parking lot. As soon as we saw what had been done we made every effort to scoop all the poison and contaminated soil into plastic bags and dispose of the bags properly. Before the poisoning attempt, every day I'd seen the ants carrying bits of herbage back to their nest. However, after the poisoning for two weeks not a single ant was seen at the nest. I felt sure that the whole colony had been wiped out. It had been a colony as large as the one we saw last year at Yokdzenot. You still can read about that big nest and see it at http://www.backyardnature.net/yucatan/ant-lfcu.htm Wednesday morning, there were ants again. Moreover, not only had the colony resumed its earlier foraging habits, but also they seemed to have redoubled their efforts, for now many more ants than before were carrying cut-out leaf sections and they were moving faster. Anthropomorphically, they looked exactly as if they were trying to make up for lost time! You can see several on the trunk of a Gumbo-Limbo -- which after two days they'd defoliated nearly completely -- at http://www.backyardnature.net/n/10/100117lc.jpg That picture was made about 30 yards or meters from their nest and every inch of the trail between there and the nest was just as cluttered and bustling with leaf-carrying ants as in the picture. Of course I'm relieved that the nest seems to have survived
[Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico
A few months ago there was a thread about leaf-cutter ants. Here's something new about them from the Yucatan. Such ants can usually be seen busily at work in Bustamante Canyon. I don't recall seeing them in Texas, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were found in the valley. -- Mixon JIM CONRADS NATURALIST NEWSLETTER Issued from Hacienda Chichén beside the Maya ruin of Chichén Itzá in the central Yucatán, MÉXICO January 17, 2010 ** RETURN OF THE LEAFCUTTER ANTS The owners of Hacienda Chichen are justly proud of their pro- environment policies, which includes using as few chemicals as possible. The other day a worker not yet clear about the policy poisoned a large leafcutter nest because the ants had begun defoliating a Tropical Almond tree in the parking lot. As soon as we saw what had been done we made every effort to scoop all the poison and contaminated soil into plastic bags and dispose of the bags properly. Before the poisoning attempt, every day I'd seen the ants carrying bits of herbage back to their nest. However, after the poisoning for two weeks not a single ant was seen at the nest. I felt sure that the whole colony had been wiped out. It had been a colony as large as the one we saw last year at Yokdzenot. You still can read about that big nest and see it at http://www.backyardnature.net/yucatan/ant-lfcu.htm Wednesday morning, there were ants again. Moreover, not only had the colony resumed its earlier foraging habits, but also they seemed to have redoubled their efforts, for now many more ants than before were carrying cut-out leaf sections and they were moving faster. Anthropomorphically, they looked exactly as if they were trying to make up for lost time! You can see several on the trunk of a Gumbo-Limbo -- which after two days they'd defoliated nearly completely -- at http://www.backyardnature.net/n/10/100117lc.jpg That picture was made about 30 yards or meters from their nest and every inch of the trail between there and the nest was just as cluttered and bustling with leaf-carrying ants as in the picture. Of course I'm relieved that the nest seems to have survived. Sometimes visitors say that for them watching the ants is as fascinating as visiting the ruins! Also the experience has reminded me how like a single living organism an ant colony is. The colony became sick, stopped functioning, but then one day finally burst from home looking as healthy as ever, trying to make up for lost time. In fact, they're out there as I type this, a long, long line of them, gradually defoliating a hibiscus. *** Best wishes to all Newsletter Readers. Jim Subscribe AND unsubscribe to this Newsletter at http://www.backyardnature.net/news/natnat.php A bore is a person who talks when you wish him to listen. You may reply to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, save: Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
RE: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico
I have heard a number of gardeners in the central Texas area complaining about them decimating their crops. I hear they are very hard to control. -d From: bmixon...@austin.rr.com To: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:23:50 -0600 Subject: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico A few months ago there was a thread about leaf-cutter ants. Here's something new about them from the Yucatan. Such ants can usually be seen busily at work in Bustamante Canyon. I don't recall seeing them in Texas, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were found in the valley. -- Mixon JIM CONRAD’S NATURALIST NEWSLETTER Issued from Hacienda Chichén beside the Maya ruin of Chichén Itzá in the central Yucatán, MÉXICO January 17, 2010 ** RETURN OF THE LEAFCUTTER ANTS The owners of Hacienda Chichen are justly proud of their pro- environment policies, which includes using as few chemicals as possible. The other day a worker not yet clear about the policy poisoned a large leafcutter nest because the ants had begun defoliating a Tropical Almond tree in the parking lot. As soon as we saw what had been done we made every effort to scoop all the poison and contaminated soil into plastic bags and dispose of the bags properly. Before the poisoning attempt, every day I'd seen the ants carrying bits of herbage back to their nest. However, after the poisoning for two weeks not a single ant was seen at the nest. I felt sure that the whole colony had been wiped out. It had been a colony as large as the one we saw last year at Yokdzenot. You still can read about that big nest and see it at http://www.backyardnature.net/yucatan/ant-lfcu.htm Wednesday morning, there were ants again. Moreover, not only had the colony resumed its earlier foraging habits, but also they seemed to have redoubled their efforts, for now many more ants than before were carrying cut-out leaf sections and they were moving faster. Anthropomorphically, they looked exactly as if they were trying to make up for lost time! You can see several on the trunk of a Gumbo-Limbo -- which after two days they'd defoliated nearly completely -- at http://www.backyardnature.net/n/10/100117lc.jpg That picture was made about 30 yards or meters from their nest and every inch of the trail between there and the nest was just as cluttered and bustling with leaf-carrying ants as in the picture. Of course I'm relieved that the nest seems to have survived. Sometimes visitors say that for them watching the ants is as fascinating as visiting the ruins! Also the experience has reminded me how like a single living organism an ant colony is. The colony became sick, stopped functioning, but then one day finally burst from home looking as healthy as ever, trying to make up for lost time. In fact, they're out there as I type this, a long, long line of them, gradually defoliating a hibiscus. *** Best wishes to all Newsletter Readers. Jim Subscribe AND unsubscribe to this Newsletter at http://www.backyardnature.net/news/natnat.php A bore is a person who talks when you wish him to listen. You may reply to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, save: Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com _ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/
Re: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico
I am pretty sure--like 99%--that we had them in South Texas when I was a kid. I remember well watching them but don't recall a specific location--meaning, probably, that they were a common enough occurrence that they didn't invoke any great interest worthy of remembering. There were some ants in South Texas that made underground nests which humped up above ground (sorta like fireant mounds except 10x bigger) and which created large subsurface voids. On more than one occasion we were unlucky enough to drive over these mounds hidden by tall pasture grass and the front tire of the pick-up fell into them and the truck got stuck and we had to get towed out. It is my recollection that these were a type of leaf-cutter ant which, by the way, don't (or didn't) sting. Those events DID create specific memories. --Ediger On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 9:29 AM, Denise P pepabe...@hotmail.com wrote: I have heard a number of gardeners in the central Texas area complaining about them decimating their crops. I hear they are very hard to control. -d From: bmixon...@austin.rr.com To: texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:23:50 -0600 Subject: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico A few months ago there was a thread about leaf-cutter ants. Here's something new about them from the Yucatan. Such ants can usually be seen busily at work in Bustamante Canyon. I don't recall seeing them in Texas, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were found in the valley. -- Mixon JIM CONRAD’S NATURALIST NEWSLETTER Issued from Hacienda Chichén beside the Maya ruin of Chichén Itzá in the central Yucatán, MÉXICO January 17, 2010 ** RETURN OF THE LEAFCUTTER ANTS The owners of Hacienda Chichen are justly proud of their pro- environment policies, which includes using as few chemicals as possible. The other day a worker not yet clear about the policy poisoned a large leafcutter nest because the ants had begun defoliating a Tropical Almond tree in the parking lot. As soon as we saw what had been done we made every effort to scoop all the poison and contaminated soil into plastic bags and dispose of the bags properly. Before the poisoning attempt, every day I'd seen the ants carrying bits of herbage back to their nest. However, after the poisoning for two weeks not a single ant was seen at the nest. I felt sure that the whole colony had been wiped out. It had been a colony as large as the one we saw last year at Yokdzenot. You still can read about that big nest and see it at http://www.backyardnature.net/yucatan/ant-lfcu.htm Wednesday morning, there were ants again. Moreover, not only had the colony resumed its earlier foraging habits, but also they seemed to have redoubled their efforts, for now many more ants than before were carrying cut-out leaf sections and they were moving faster. Anthropomorphically, they looked exactly as if they were trying to make up for lost time! You can see several on the trunk of a Gumbo-Limbo -- which after two days they'd defoliated nearly completely -- at http://www.backyardnature.net/n/10/100117lc.jpg That picture was made about 30 yards or meters from their nest and every inch of the trail between there and the nest was just as cluttered and bustling with leaf-carrying ants as in the picture. Of course I'm relieved that the nest seems to have survived. Sometimes visitors say that for them watching the ants is as fascinating as visiting the ruins! Also the experience has reminded me how like a single living organism an ant colony is. The colony became sick, stopped functioning, but then one day finally burst from home looking as healthy as ever, trying to make up for lost time. In fact, they're out there as I type this, a long, long line of them, gradually defoliating a hibiscus. *** Best wishes to all Newsletter Readers. Jim Subscribe AND unsubscribe to this Newsletter at http://www.backyardnature.net/news/natnat.php A bore is a person who talks when you wish him to listen. You may reply to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, save: Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com -- Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. Sign up now. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390706/direct/01/
Re: [Texascavers] leaf-cutter ants in Mexico
There were some ants in South Texas that made underground nests which humped up above ground (sorta like fireant mounds except 10x bigger) and which created large subsurface voids. On more than one occasion we were unlucky enough to drive over these mounds hidden by tall pasture grass and the front tire of the pick-up fell into them and the truck got stuck and we had to get towed out. It is my recollection that these were a type of leaf-cutter ant which, by the way, don't (or didn't) sting. Those events DID create specific memories. --Ediger sounds a lot like the termite mounds of madagascar. - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
