On 11/11/2014 8:31 PM, Derald wrote:
Well,as long as we're rambling....

songbird wrote:

i like ants, btw, they're facinating creatures.
E.O. Wilson cowrote a great book on them called
_the Ants_ and much more is being discovered.
Well, the little dears lost a bit of their charm by eating my onion
seeds the evening after planting last month and lose a a bit more, from
time to time, by hauling away brassica or other small seeds just about
as quickly as they can be placed in their beds. Of course, nothing
quite matches the thrill of disturbing with ones hands a tribe of fire
ants that has established itself in the retaining "timbers" of a raised
bed. ...eeeeYOW: Instant awareness.
It may not be true but I remember reading (in a source the name of
which I fortunately no longer remember) that termites were not a serious
hazard in more northern (NA) climes until central heating and/or air
"conditioning" became widespread. Of course, in this Florida climate,
insects are year 'round and termites always are active. Depending on
subspecies, the winged instars swarm up out of the ground, resembling
sparkling smoke, between October and about May. In my immediate
environs, they begin swarming on warm sunny days anytime from late
January through about March.

Yup! Fire ants, Formosan termites, nutria rats, etc. Just count the
critters that have come to this country in my short 75 year life span.
Not to mention the Chinese tallow tree, that one pretty much took over
every spot under a fence or a power line as birds spread the seeds.

I carry a "hot shot" pen whenever I go to the garden, fire ants hit me
so hard a time or two that I passed out. Around here they dig nests as
deep as eighteen or so feet deep. First time you notice is when there
are little piles of sand or soil above ground and then the biting
starts. We patrol the perimeter daily with fire ant killer.