Ant Psychology

[Gamma_Joe]

Detecting in a downtown parking lot, I came up with some modern coins -- enough for gas in the car, plus fresh batteries for the Teknetics Omega and Garrett Pinpointer. Can't complain at all.

There were some ants' nests around the place. I always avoid digging in them -- just let them go ahead with their business. (They don't bother me, and I don't bother them.)

But this one caught some attention. I don't know anything about ants, but I have to think they are doing it the hard way.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[HuntinDog]

Well it keeps the anteaters away...

My uncle had some ants that lived in his concrete front porch.
In the summer about once a week he would sweep up the sand and spray.
He never did stop them....
So ants in concrete are some tuff bugs!!

 

[GO VA]

After a quick search got this!
Pavement ants are light brown to black with appendages lighter than rest of the body.
Size: They are about 2.5 to 3 mm long, with parallel lines on head and thorax.
Antennae: They have 12-segmented antennae with a three-segmented club.

 

[olfart]

A lot of those parking stop blocks have two holes in them for anchor stakes. My bet is the ants are digging through one of the holes.

 

[Gamma_Joe]

Yep, they are coming up and down through the concrete block's anchor hole, carrying their dirt and sand with them.

What I don't get is, they could have dug their hole two inches away, and come up through the regular dirt ... like all the other ants did with their properties around the parking lot. Seems like they're doing a lot extra work.

But what do I know? I'm swinging a coil, and listening for beeps.

They're doing their job, and I should mind my own business. They know their job better than I do.

(It would help if they would bring up a Wheatie or a Buffalo.)

Cheers,

Joe

 

[olfart]

They like building in/under the concrete because it's a great heat sink for incubating their eggs. If you were to pick up that concrete, you'd find a bunch of white ant eggs falling out of the hole.