Wednesday Explorers Club ~ Ants

Lately we've been finding ants in the house. Last summer it was odorous house ants - the ones that, when squished, smell vaguely like coconut. This time it's black carpenter ants. They're larger and tougher than the odorous ants and, as far as I can tell, have no smell when stepped on.

The carpenter ants live somewhere outside, probably in one of the nearby dead trees. They wander about in search of food. I've found them on the counter beneath the cake, but not eating cake; they prefer fruits and insects.

This week head out and explore ants in your neighborhood.

• what color are they?
• how big are they?
• follow them - where are they going?
• what are they carrying?
• do they gather at a food source and eat, or do they carry food back to their home?
• and if they carry it back, do they share the load with a friend or carry it themselves?
• what do your ants like to eat? You can find out by leaving bits of different kinds of food on a piece of paper and watching what they take.
• do your ants follow trails? If so, what happens if you pick them up and put them down somewhere off the trail?

Archimedes Notebook is taking a break from book reviews for a few weeks so I can spend this summer being a curious naturalist. I'll be heading out with my notebook and camera - so you might find some new Wednesday Explorers Club adventures posted. But for the most part I plan to indulge in non-digital exploration of my world. I invite you to turn off your computer for a few hours each week so you can explore the world around you.