Ants, Ants, Ants and More Ants
I had fresh baked blueberry muffins for breakfast this morning. I gobbled them up while I was enjoying the morning sun of my front porch. What really makes fresh baked blueberry muffins so extra special is that you can eat them while they are still warm and crumbly.
The ants also appreciated my love for crumbly muffins because it means that they too get to have fresh baked blueberry muffins for breakfast. They appeared like ants to a picnic, which means that I have verified yet one more stereotype in the animal kingdom.
I find that I am required to frequently notice ants in my garden, mostly because my children seem to believe that they are an unusual phenomenon that must be pointed out each and every time they see one. What this had done for me is that I have seen several types of ants all co-existing in my yard, maybe not peacefully, but still co-existing. Black ones, red ones and an occasional yellow one. They can be big or small, land bound or winged. Some run away and some bite. I sometimes feel that I have the United Nations of Ants inhabiting my yard.
Here in Cleveland, there are 13 native species of ants. Much to my surprise, entomologist have a sense of humor. I know this because the 13 species of ants are:
- Acrobat Ant
- Allegheny Mound Ant
- Carpenter Ant
- Cornfield Ant
- Crazy Ant
- False Honey Ant
- Larger Yellow Ant
- Lawn Ant
- Little Black Ant
- Odorous House Ant
- Pavement Ant
- Pharaoh Ant
- Thief Ant
Yep, with names like Crazy Ant and Little Black Ant, you know you have a profession that has a sense of humor.
“I don’t know what kind of ant that is, I just know it’s a damn Crazy Ant.”
“Gee, you know, me and the guys over studying lady bugs went out for a few beers last night. How about we just call them Little Black Ants and call it a day? “
Those are my kind of people. But I am still wondering what happened to the Smaller Yellow Ants.