...
...
....I didn't want to lose my almost cooked breakfast, and I
didn't want to wait
for the ants to disperse before eating. So, I quickly leaped upstairs, grabbed a can
of insecticide that I use for my inside-outhouse (another story to come),
went back down
to my food and fire, and sprayed a circle around me. The ants neatly marched around,
continuing on their own quest for food, and I enjoyed my breakfast while watching
what is truly one of nature's magical moments.
The ants were around daily for some two weeks. Each day a slightly different track.
They were temporarily bivouacing in a rock pile just behind my hut. Each morning
they
emerged en masse for their hunt, slowly dispersing into smaller columns. It was a
time
for much alarm amongst their prey, and much joy for the many species of birds which
symbiotically feast upon the insects fleeing the ants.
Since that time they have returned frequently and are always a joy to observe.
(see "Recommended
Reading", A Neotropical Companion, John
Kricher -
an excellent resource for understanding symbiotic relationships in the tropics)
. |
.