Industrious Ants

Well it is very apparent that I have very little to do down here at Camping Manjastre, when I have the time to spend watching ants as they busily collect food scraps and pieces of grass and carry them back to the nest.   They have completely cleared the grass away from their ant trail, which now is a very distinct metal road, leading to their nest.

 Apparently ants are social insects, and people study them, as there are many parallels with human societies.  Ants form colonies, have division of labour, have communication between individuals and have the ability to solve problems.  

 There is quite a bend on this part of the track.   The superhighway.

There is a downside to observing the industrious ants and also reading about ant colonies, as I will now find it difficult to get rid of them when they become annoying, such as swarming over the sink and bench, and our food.

Ants live in all parts of the world, in different sizes.   My only other experience of ants is in Australia, where the bull ant exists, and whose bite hurts like crazy.   Get one up your trouser leg, and you will know the meaning of pain.  There are also white ants, or termites, that eat away at the wood in houses, and all that is left is paint.   Very expensive, as we have found out three times, in our houses in Australia.

And all Australians know the term 'whiteanting', which occurs when someone/or people undermine another person, usually someone in authority.   Very nasty.   

But in the meantime I will continue to watch our colony of ants, keep my legs out of the way, and resist the temptation to get rid of them.    Lovely little creatures.    And very good for the environment too.