Out on my morning jog(I'm not so delusional to call it running), I find it remarkable to see the ants clean up the side walk by completely consuming all the dead insects, especially the worms that have dried up on the cement. However, they seem to leave the live ones be. Will they go after the live ones later? Or do they only eat the dead ones?
Do ants eat live worms? It was a few hours after a particularly violent rain storm, the ones that deluge, for only a few minutes, and vanish as mysteriously as they appeared. Worm came out, surviving from being drowned, and had the misfortune of invading ant territory, in it's search for a burrow. When I happened upon Worm, preparing to take my Prius as transportation to an important, but not urgent, trip to a supply store, Worm was writhing in pain, trying to roll on the attackers, as many as fifty, much in the same way one tries to put out a fire on ourself. Worm's head violently move to and fro, the agony and pain evident. Feeling empathetic, I decided to help Worm by transporting the injured victim to a safer locale. I endeavored to peel off the tiny bestial carnivores, but their ravenous mandibles were sunk in deep into Worm's soft flesh. Applying pressure to certain areas of the ants resulted in release of Worm. But alas, much damage was done, some injuries oozing vital fluids. After a hundred second vigil, the convulsions ceased, and alas, Worm had succumbed to his wounds. A deep breath, watered eyes, I used my thumb - a giant shovel from his point of view had he been able to see it - to create a tomb in the soft and humid topsoil that comprises my front lawn for the brave, but fallen comrade. Perhaps not noticeable to the common passerby, I can tell that my grass is greener in a certain two-inch square radius, I'm quite sure is the final resting spot for Worm.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Sep 3 2007, 07:15 PM) [snapback]506503[/snapback]</div> Well damn, if they eat worms alive, why do they come in to my house. There's enough worms out there that the ants would never go hungry again.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Sep 4 2007, 12:15 PM) [snapback]506503[/snapback]</div> How could you tell? :lol: But I guess being buried alive isn't such a terrible thing, if you're a worm.
Though vital for aeration of soil, ants are MEAN! They eat live anything. I've seen one pulling a live earwig to it's lair. I also saw one wrestling with a monarch caterpillar to haul away. I think they are not too persnickety when it comes to their next meal.
Ants are the clean up crew. Without them (think largest biomass on the planet) we would be drowning in filth ... boon for the worms though, eh?
Local Head of Family assassinated Tuesday September 4th, 2007. Holiday weekend spirits dampened with successful assassination attempt on high ranking member of the Oligochaeta family. Santa Carla, CA (UPN) It was to be the crowning end to a Oligochaeta family gathering after the usual 5:00AM sprinkler party. W. Orm was on his way back to the Petunia beds, when he was unexpectedly and viciously antasinated by members of the powerful Formicida(e) family. A prolonged battle ensued, leaving several onlookers and innocent bystanders seriously injured. Role. E. Poly, a long time resident of the Petunia Commons, described the scene as something from a movie. "I mean, when I woke up due to noises outside my petal window, I thought oh no not another party. But then I heard the screams and chomping sounds. When I looked out all I saw was a writhing mass of Formicida guys hanging all over the Don, he kept shaking them off and rolling on top of them but there where just to many, it was heart wrenching" he added bleary eyed. "There just was nothing anyone could do, the whole thing took like 30 to 40 mins and it was all over. They even tried to drag him off into the dirt, but he was just too much for them." According to the coroner V.Espinae, the assassins tried to consume the victim at the crime scene but where somehow interrupted. "It was one of most horrifying scenes I had to ever wake up to. Pieces of the victim where missing and his head or tail, I can't tell which is which anymore, had been severed. This was obviously going to be a trophy" A family spokes worm for the Oligochaeta family read a statement from the family. " The Oligochaeta family is in deep shock and is recoiling in horror to see such a vicious attack happening in our community. At interim the handling of the family affairs will be temporarily placed with Ann Elida, the eldest daughter of Don W. Orm. This is obviously the beginning of a turf war that will affect all of the inhabitants of this yard. We are calling out to the community and justice system to bring the evil doers to a court of law. " Anonymous sources have told UPN that this incident will have severe repercussions and that this will set off a gang war "as surely as the early bird comes around to take care of business", the Oligochaeta family is preparing for a counter raid on the local Formicida outpost near the mailbox post. Ray van Claw, the Santa Carla District Judge, has ordered an investigation into alleged organized crime activity by the Formicida and the Oligochaeta families, causing an outcry of support by members of the families for their clans. "There is obviously some family history going on here and we have to look into every detail that will help bring closure to this crime" he announced at the steps of the court house. Oligochaeta family members are outraged and worried that the proposed organized crime investigations will detract from finding the real killers. The Formicida family could not be reached for comments, but anonymous family sources told UPN that the family denies any knowledge and/or participation in this obviously tragic accident. "Perhaps an early jogger crashed the sprinkler party?"
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lywyllyn @ Sep 4 2007, 12:47 PM) [snapback]506833[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'> Local Head of Family assassinated Tuesday September 4th, 2007. Update: Foxglove news is now reporting an anonymous report that the Formicida family used chemical weapons in their reputed attack on W. Orm. A Formicida spokesmant disputes this charge and says the family is being "slimed." Stay tuned for details.