- Joined
- Aug 8, 2005
- Messages
- 11,048
A usual weird experiment of mine that actually worked. 
The usual ant invasion at this time of year: water and carbohydrate search.
Over the past 2 weeks I searched out every access to the house the ants had and applied the nasty chemicals. I did not disturb the ants already inside the house; just left them to it.
The ant population inside declined somewhat, ravening horde ala Genghis down to the Blitzkrieg.
And finally yesterday. An ant trail across the floor, up the wood cabinet, across the front of the counter, and back down to the floor. Full circle. So I vacuumed up 3 feet of ants on the floor and observed. After an hour, another 3 feet. The cats put in an appearance. They won't do kitchen with the ants out in force.
The ant trail had diminished. Vacuuming #4 and there were only about 500 ants left, still going in a circle.
At that juncture, the demon goddess put in an appearance. Rolling her eyes and shooing both me and the cats out of the kitchen she cleaned up the last of the ants. And gone. Done. No more AM invasion. Finis.
So, deprived of instructions from on high, the needs of the nest, ants will go into full robot mode, mindlessly following a scent trail, even in a full circle.
The usual ant invasion at this time of year: water and carbohydrate search.
Over the past 2 weeks I searched out every access to the house the ants had and applied the nasty chemicals. I did not disturb the ants already inside the house; just left them to it.
The ant population inside declined somewhat, ravening horde ala Genghis down to the Blitzkrieg.
And finally yesterday. An ant trail across the floor, up the wood cabinet, across the front of the counter, and back down to the floor. Full circle. So I vacuumed up 3 feet of ants on the floor and observed. After an hour, another 3 feet. The cats put in an appearance. They won't do kitchen with the ants out in force.
The ant trail had diminished. Vacuuming #4 and there were only about 500 ants left, still going in a circle.
At that juncture, the demon goddess put in an appearance. Rolling her eyes and shooing both me and the cats out of the kitchen she cleaned up the last of the ants. And gone. Done. No more AM invasion. Finis.
So, deprived of instructions from on high, the needs of the nest, ants will go into full robot mode, mindlessly following a scent trail, even in a full circle.
