pressed between two boards
a nest of black ants guarding
white eggs through winter
Saturday, it's summer again and I'm down on my knees, digging holes between the still-green musk strawberries to plant daffodils, 125 bulbs, more if you count the little ones clinging to their mother's sides.
Sunday, it's back to autumn with a cold rain that hangs on all day. Most of the daffodils are still hanging out in their little mesh bags, but it's too cold and wet to plant bulbs.
Monday, it's early winter with a hard frost. I plant a few more bulbs until my hands and knees get too cold and wet, so I do a little yard clean up.
When I pick up some loose boards, I uncover a nest of black ants pressed between two boards toward the bottom of the stack. They have made a wall out of bits of bark, shaped like a shield, to guard them from the cold. When the boards separate, half of the ants remain on the bottom board, the other half cling to the top board, as if they have been hibernating upside down. Their shiny black bodies are packed together in an elongated heart shape, interspersed among a scattering of white eggs stuck to the bottom board.
At first the ants don't move when exposed to the cold and light, but slowly some of them stir and begin to crawl away toward the edge of the board. However, they are not carrying their eggs to safety, as ants usually do when their nest is disturbed. Perhaps they're too cold to do anything except move away from the cold.
Carefully, I replace the top board on the bottom board, hoping I haven't smashed any ants or destroyed their little bark barrier, and that they can find their way back to their long winter's sleep.
Sunday, it's back to autumn with a cold rain that hangs on all day. Most of the daffodils are still hanging out in their little mesh bags, but it's too cold and wet to plant bulbs.
Monday, it's early winter with a hard frost. I plant a few more bulbs until my hands and knees get too cold and wet, so I do a little yard clean up.
When I pick up some loose boards, I uncover a nest of black ants pressed between two boards toward the bottom of the stack. They have made a wall out of bits of bark, shaped like a shield, to guard them from the cold. When the boards separate, half of the ants remain on the bottom board, the other half cling to the top board, as if they have been hibernating upside down. Their shiny black bodies are packed together in an elongated heart shape, interspersed among a scattering of white eggs stuck to the bottom board.
At first the ants don't move when exposed to the cold and light, but slowly some of them stir and begin to crawl away toward the edge of the board. However, they are not carrying their eggs to safety, as ants usually do when their nest is disturbed. Perhaps they're too cold to do anything except move away from the cold.
Carefully, I replace the top board on the bottom board, hoping I haven't smashed any ants or destroyed their little bark barrier, and that they can find their way back to their long winter's sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment