Ant nest...

crocoite · Post by **crocoite** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:02 am

Found under a wooden post...you can see the larvae in some of the eggs.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:38 am

This is a unique and interesting shot. Be something to see some of the tiny little pests hatching out.

crocoite · Post by **crocoite** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:00 am

Ken Ramos wrote:This is a unique and interesting shot. Be something to see some of the tiny little pests hatching out.

Thanks Ken. I wasn't going to hang around too long, not coz I was afraid of getting bitten, but I wimped out coz it started raining!

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:21 am

Yeah water and digital equipment don't mix well. Besides, though we need the rain, I prefer to look outside and see it, not be in it too.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 5:13 am

Great shot Steve, will not see ants around here for a few months

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:22 am

Steve,

Interesting picture -- looks like you stumbled into a brood chamber or some such place. I presume by "eggs" you mean the ivory-colored things that are approximately the same size as the black ants. Most of those are pupae. You can see the dark eyes and make out the tucked-up legs on many of them. Near the top of the picture, the more translucent grub-like things with no eyes or legs are larvae.

--Rik

crocoite · Post by **crocoite** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:07 am

It's amazing what the uniformed can find out through this forum. I had never thought about pupae before Rik, but of course, it makes sense. I remember as a kid, my grandfather used to take me out to the garden to dig for "ant eggs" to feed to his pet goldfish. They were probably also pupae.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 3:52 am

Rik replied:

Most of those are pupae. You can see the dark eyes and make out the tucked-up legs on many of them. Near the top of the picture, the more translucent grub-like things with no eyes or legs are larvae.

You know I never noticed that either but then again I know little about ants. I referred to them as eggs also in your second post on them. Well I learned another thing or two.