Picnic Time!

I am positive that I built this house of several very prolific ant hills. Surely, over the past 15 years, we have been invaded by every kind of ant known to man. Ants probably have some super important role in their particular circle of life, but I can’t imagine what it is. Regardless, they spend WAY more time in our house than out doing what good ants should be doing.

Anyway........................

Ants really like us because we feed them. Each year, at the beginning of Spring, there’s a big homecoming picnic at my place. They bring friends, and relatives.  And..... they have r-e-a-l-l-y large families.

Usually they arrive late at night. If we’re already in bed, it’s no big deal, because we always have enough food around for each and every one of the little fellas. It’s not a major cost to the food budget, as they don’t eat a lot, considering just how many of them decide to come to visit. Last night, after Ab fed the dogs, she was thoughtful enough to leave the empty dog food can handy for them on the kitchen counter. The lid was hanging off the magnetic part of the electric can opener, in close proximity of the ants favorite point of entry.

So, it was a feast to behold this morning. Thousands of our little friends enjoying an early breakfast munching on the residue inside the can. Some were lounging on the spoon, enjoying that extra helping of tasty Kal Kan, stuck to my shiny new silverware.

Ants are very strong insects, and can lift 50 times their own weight! In addition to anything sweet or syrupy, they really like fat and protein. Canned dog food is mostly protein and we like to feed our ants nutritious food since they work so hard throughout the year! Nothing like a strong army of ants! March, march, march! Always in formation too!

You shoulda seen those workers hauling off the sugar crystals this morning after Ab finished her Cheerios! Man, it was inspiring! The guys were pitching in to help me clean up!

Tonight I am happy to say, that we’ve left them a special treat. It was Ab’s night to cook, and we had "Pigs in a Blanket" with some tasty, sweet beans. We left them a few crescent roll crumbs, a little hot dog grease on the cookie sheet, and the sticky spoon rest.

Bon Appetite!   Oh, and say hello to the queen!