This isn't exclusively a story about Marvel's Ant Man, nor of E.O. Wilson's studies of ants and the web of life. It's also a story about someone I knew way back, when I planted wild lupines in Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest, and he "planted" ant colonies. I think he was a dentist. |
Park Notes from Eastport - Pine Barrens Forest
"Finally! I encountered giant ant hills, a phenomenon that I had only heard about on Long Island, despite being given the impression that they were quite frequent. After visiting 100+ parks/natural landscapes in my lifetime on Long Island, the two mounds I found here were the first. These ant hills or mounds are actually nests made from carefully excavated soils stuck together with organic debris. While providing rudimentary protection from the elements and predators, a truly fascinating feature of these mounds is that they maintain a stable temperature and humidity inside regardless of outside conditions. This is particularly useful when raising sensitive larvae to maturity. Unfortunately, there are no good easily accessible online resources discussing ants on long island or who these “mound-builders” may be. All information is geared towards home extermination and the species of these natural architects continues to elude me. -- Andy