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    I find ants fascinating! But what are they good for? I love to watch them gather food as long as it's outside! Any one else find them amazing??

    BUGS

    +8  Views: 1023 Answers: 8 Posted: 10 years ago
    Bob/PKB

    RE: What are they good for...I think they are scavengers in the chain of life. Will have to verify this. I don't think anyone addressed the purpose of ants!
    Bob/PKB

    http://m.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Ants-Naturally
    I got this website from Fish-O. It's very helpful as well as interesting.
    mycatsmom

    They loosen up the soil.So do earth worms.
    Bob/PKB

    Most people would rather have earth worms loosening and enriching their soil than ants, who provide negligible benefit.

    8 Answers

       I love to watch Big Red Ants.  When my aunt and I were kids we had a red ant bed in the front yard and we would set outside and play with them for what seemed like hours. We would pick them up and place them inside our little Hot Wheel's and Matchbox cars and drive them around the yard and sing to them etc.


      They are fascinating to watch!

    clu

    One place iI worked at at lunch we would eat outside and leave a snack for the ants. Soon they would appear and carry off the treat . They always sent as many workers as was needed! Trully amazing!
    mycatsmom

    I used to play with grass hoppers and crickets ....teach them how to shake hands. Hey, there was nothing ot do at my aunts house ...... :-|

    There are a couple of documentaries on Discovery chanel about ants.They are extremely organized little creatures.

    ROMOS

    Fleas have a purpose too you know?
    Tommyh

    HMMMPH! I'm not talking to you!
    ROMOS

    HUFFY?
    country bumpkin

    Moderator
    LOL...Flea verses ant!
    clu

    What is the purpose of fleas? AHH I forgot! They are mini leeches!
    clu

    Yes they are ! All seem to have a job and they do it! I love them as long as they stay outside the house!!
    ROMOS

    There is a purpose for everything, even a Brussel sprout, they make me and my Fleamily fart!
    Ducky

    Moderator
    Thanks R but TMI.
    mycatsmom

    Romeos, You can have all my cat fleas.
    country bumpkin

    Moderator
    Thumbs up MCM. (*~*)
    ROMOS

    OUCH!!

    I'm more of a Flea guy, but all the worlds insects are important.


    And the fish of course.............


    ""

    mycatsmom

    fish eat insects.
    ROMOS

    That's the chain of life ma,am!

    Yes they are amazing little insects. I remember owning one of these ant farms.


                                      ""

    bustieone

    Ah yes, ant farms in the house, also remember them... Sometimes there were escapees!
    mycatsmom

    I wanted one of those, but my mom wouldn't get me anything,unless it was my b/day or Christmas/ which were a week apart anyway.

    They are pretty good at reducing organic material, even houses... 

    Ants are incredible.  I watch them, too, dragging bits of "food" that are larger than they. I've read about them, how they have amazing sensory abilities.  I have watched them literally MARCH in soldier perfect rows across a kitchen counter where a cube of butter was left, uncovered, on a plate. They are so small, so strong, and their bites hurt more than any other insect bite I've ever had; I've never gotten away with just ONE when I stumble upon them.  I would be VERY afraid if they swarmed me!
                                                             ""

    hector5559

    Do red ants bite more Miss Bob?
    Bob/PKB

    Red ants are the only ones I've come across. Last year there were a couple ant hills in my back yard and I got close to one pulling weeds. I got nearly a dozen bites simultaneously. They itch and burn. Little red ants....
    hector5559

    We mostly have the black ones,i know the red ones are worse when it comes to biting,But i like you am fasinated by thier efforts to rebuild thier homes when disturbed,
    Bob/PKB

    ....and they are virtually indestructible. A woman I know lives in a home that was built where an orchard once stood. The builders didn't "sterilize" the ground and she has had ants coming through her pipes for nearly 20 years. The only place pest control can trace it to is the orchard under her foundation.
    Bob/PKB

    I don't think I have ever seen a black ant!
    hector5559

    We have mostly black ants in England,in Tripoli they are giant ones,
    mycatsmom

    I've never seen a red aunt. All ours are black or gold. Diazanon will get rid of any aunts
    Bob/PKB

    MYCATSMOM: I don't want to get rid of my aunt!
    mycatsmom

    Har har
    Bob/PKB

    "Har Har"??? Is there a problem with my comment?
    Colleen

    Moderator
    mcm, you should have pointed out your attempt at humor. Ant/Aunt. In the south they call an aunt an ant. Please do not comment to Bob's answers. I do not want anymore e-mails that she is bugging you when you I see you here commenting in one of her answers.
    mycatsmom

    Colleen, it wasn't an attempt at humor, but nice try.I put aunts by mistake b/c I had mentioned my aunt up above in a comment.PKB always edits my comments.See at the top when I said ants loosen up the soil.She edited that.She points out my spelling errors .If you have something to say to me,Colleen, don't say it in public like this.And tell her to stay away from me b/c you're sick of her emails to you about my entries.
    Colleen

    Moderator
    She can not edit your comments. She does not have an edit tool. You made the mistake of saying aunt twice? You let things get out of hand by not telling her you typed aunt twice instead of ant. You chose to "har har" instead. What did you think she or anyone else who read this would get from that?
    I will say something here or in e-mail, it's my prerogative how I choose to deal with forum issues. The two of you have issues with each other. I've done the e-mail thing three times now and apparently it has not helped because here you are again going at each other. She does not send me e-mails about you unless she is responding to one I send on your behalf. Now watch what you post and there will be no problems. Do not comment to her answers and she will stay away from yours. That's the agreement I got from both of you.
    terryfossil 1

    Now there is an eye opener
    Bob/PKB

    That stuff should have been removed 4 months ago; just proves we don't have the ability to edit or remove others' musings.

    ants clean up the world,,and they know when it is going to rain,,out west ants build nests up to 8 feet high,and they will always face them in the same direction,,,they are smarter than the average bear hey hey hey,boo boo.......................................................................................................

    clu yes they are some fascinating little creatures.  i heard an ant expert on a radio talk show say that ants and humans are the only groups that attack their own people for dumb reasons, you know like wars and fighting just to fight.

    mycatsmom

    right now, my g.friend,Carol has black ants in her kitchen! ....b/c she puts moist canned cat food in little saucers on the kitchen floor. Adn she put a little honey on some paper on the floor. I don't know why.
    tabber

    mycatsmom don't we all just have little interesting hobbies, or silly things we do, but they don't seem silly to us if we're the one doing it. that's kind of how science works too. doing what seems like something crazy and then accidentally discovering some physical or psychological fact.


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