Bugs are Back

Warm weather this week has brought out the first bugs. I’ve seen a couple of flies, & some flying ants. Winged ants usually appear when the ant colony is doing well, & the female winged ones (they’re mostly males) are the future queens. It’s kind of confusung, so here’s a link that explains it: http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Pests/flyant.htm. Ants are incredibly smart insects, & also very strong (they can lift 40 times their body weight). They have been known to use a leaf as a boat to sail across a puddle, & they even breed special “war ants” to defend their colony. I thought this website had some really neat facts about ants; check it out:  http://ezinearticles.com/?Facts-About-Ants—Amazing-Things-About-Ants-You-Probably-Didnt-Know&id=1315206.

Bugs Gone Away

All the insects have mostly disappeared for the winter. It hasn’t gotten too cold yet, but they seem to know winter is coming, & have packed up & gone elsewhere. (Or died.)  For the most part, that is. Every now & then the bugs (mostly ants) will find their way indoors & show up in large colonies. But the bees, flies, & mosquitoes have all left.

'paper wasp nest I saw last month'