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I have the best cared for ants in the neighborhood. When we moved into this house, we noticed these GIANT black ants had an interesting nest in the back yard. I was a bit freaked out after my and my very allergic dogs terrible experience with ants in Florida. I soon discovered these ants to be totally docile and unobtrusive. I decided I like them to the point when we had the house termited I specifically requested they not use anything which could harm the ants.
These ants are so fucking cool. They are a seed gathering species so they don't bite (they will sting if you step on them or hold them), you can walk right up to their nest and stick your finger into it and they will check you out but won't sting or bite. They are super busy from May through October and they are then dormant for the winter. In the summer they only come out in the early morning and the evening. They totally keep my yard clean. They collect every seed and grass particle and haul it away. They have ant freeways and paths across the yard which are very clearly defined. Totally cool.
My husband loves them as much as I do, maybe more. He spends lots of time out with them. Today, because it was hot, he built them a little ant shade tent above their nest and he has been misting them with our terrarium pump mister thing. He noticed they all came out to drink from it so he put out some cricket water jello stuff and then he put some flax and sunflower seeds out for them which they are carrying away now. I swear we really do have the most loved ants on the block. I guess if everyone had ants as cool as these more people would like them. They never come into my house and they really do a great job of cleaning.
In other news, we ended up having some friends over yesterday. Not quite as lame as I thought we were going to be. Today, I installed a drip system in my garden. It was 100 degrees today. Supposed to be 110 by Thursday. I LOVE Arizona, LOL. Ok, not really.
So if I wanted to get out of the heat, stay in the USA and go someplace a little off the beaten path (not like out in no place, just not the first place you would think of), where should I go? I've done everything in California, from Truckee to San Diego. I've done most of what there is to do in Arizona, from ice hole spelunking to shopping in Mexico. I have not done a lot in Utah or Colorado or New Mexico. I hate Las Vegas. Any ideas? We like nature, zoos, botanical gardens, art, historically significant places, water, interesting shows. We don't like insane crowds, eating out or bars (we eat but our whole reason for going someplace can't be the food, food is secondary), or gratuitous shopping (will shop but, like food, it can't be the main point). And we would like to take our dogs with us but would put them in day care if there was something we wanted to do for the day. Anyone have any ideas where we could go for like a week or so? Someplace cool to rent a cabin maybe?
These ants are so fucking cool. They are a seed gathering species so they don't bite (they will sting if you step on them or hold them), you can walk right up to their nest and stick your finger into it and they will check you out but won't sting or bite. They are super busy from May through October and they are then dormant for the winter. In the summer they only come out in the early morning and the evening. They totally keep my yard clean. They collect every seed and grass particle and haul it away. They have ant freeways and paths across the yard which are very clearly defined. Totally cool.
My husband loves them as much as I do, maybe more. He spends lots of time out with them. Today, because it was hot, he built them a little ant shade tent above their nest and he has been misting them with our terrarium pump mister thing. He noticed they all came out to drink from it so he put out some cricket water jello stuff and then he put some flax and sunflower seeds out for them which they are carrying away now. I swear we really do have the most loved ants on the block. I guess if everyone had ants as cool as these more people would like them. They never come into my house and they really do a great job of cleaning.
In other news, we ended up having some friends over yesterday. Not quite as lame as I thought we were going to be. Today, I installed a drip system in my garden. It was 100 degrees today. Supposed to be 110 by Thursday. I LOVE Arizona, LOL. Ok, not really.
So if I wanted to get out of the heat, stay in the USA and go someplace a little off the beaten path (not like out in no place, just not the first place you would think of), where should I go? I've done everything in California, from Truckee to San Diego. I've done most of what there is to do in Arizona, from ice hole spelunking to shopping in Mexico. I have not done a lot in Utah or Colorado or New Mexico. I hate Las Vegas. Any ideas? We like nature, zoos, botanical gardens, art, historically significant places, water, interesting shows. We don't like insane crowds, eating out or bars (we eat but our whole reason for going someplace can't be the food, food is secondary), or gratuitous shopping (will shop but, like food, it can't be the main point). And we would like to take our dogs with us but would put them in day care if there was something we wanted to do for the day. Anyone have any ideas where we could go for like a week or so? Someplace cool to rent a cabin maybe?
