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~ First ant sighting of the year ~

March 14, 2009

Ants in my basement usually lead to irritation and a lot of grumbling on my part. It was surprising then, that while taking some pictures, I watched an ant casually saunter the length of a tulip bloom and was filled with excitement. The weather had dramatically improved from the day before and I had a sense that spring was finally arriving on the prairies.

I enjoyed the feeling for a short time before dispatching the ant to an early death. No doubt the ant will be sorely missed by other members of its colony, but I'm trying not to think of that. Instead I'm on an ant search-and-destroy mission, while silently hoping that I don't find any other ones.

Experience tells me though, that one ant usually means lots of other ants. We shall see ~

Posted in Uncategorized

31 responses to “~ First ant sighting of the year ~”

Connie

March 14, 2009

At least you got a nice photo of him before he became deceased. 🙂 Love the colors on that tulip!

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Barbara

March 15, 2009

Ants, already now? Up to now I didn’t find one …here in the house. But they will come, I’m sure! We do not have yet any tulips, but Spring is slowly arriving 🙂 !
Have a lovely Sunday!
Barbara

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Lisa at Greenbow

March 15, 2009

Wow Kate, you live way up north and have an ant but I haven’t seen a one yet this spring. We get those awful camel crickets in our house every spring. They are annoying but fun to see hopping about. I usually catch them and throw them outside where they belong.
I just love your header picture. Those tulips scream spring.

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Mr. McGregor’s Daughter

March 15, 2009

The ant certainly makes the photograph more interesting, but I share your frustration with ants. They seem to invade my dining room every March. I wish my kids were neater eaters; I can’t seem to vacuum often enough to get all the crumbs.

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Cis

March 15, 2009

We are still covered in snow. No ants here. I had a run of ants into the house last year and did the sugar whizzed up with borax trick. It took about a week but it worked.
That tulip DOES have beautiful colours!

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Kate

March 15, 2009

I let him climb down the stem first. These tulips have incredible colours on them.

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Kate

March 15, 2009

I was surprised to find ants this early in the season ~ I hope it doesn’t mean that we have a bumper crops of ants in the house!

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Kate

March 15, 2009

I have a feeling this might be a bad season for ants. I only have one son and find keeping up with vacuuming and sweeping is an almost impossible task.

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Kate

March 15, 2009

We are buried in snow here too. The snow is slowly sinking though as the temperatures have been around freezing. I’ll have to try the sugar and borax trick.

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Kate

March 15, 2009

I don’t know what camel crickets are ~ will have to find out now. The ants are much earlier than usual. Thanks, Lisa ~ I’ve never had a banner image before.

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jardineira aprendiz

March 15, 2009

:)) Poor ant! But the photo is beautiful!
I’ve been following you on twitter, although not with time to stay and write something, and I was surprised to know how cold you can have in March! Today we have around 25 C and everything blooms. Of course we will pay for this in summer, while you will have wonderful flowers we will be burning under some hot sun!
If you want to take a look at my plant photos, I am posting most of them at another blog, the link in my name, as lately time to write something has been always too short, and this is a ‘only photo’ blog.

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linda

March 15, 2009

Pesky critters. Wish they’d stay outside where they belong!
Beautiful tulip Kate!

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Estrella

March 15, 2009

Great! I like you new header look. Yes I like it.
See you

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Selma

March 15, 2009

You really are an outstanding photographer, Kate. We usually get ants at this time every year but I haven’t seen as many around. Maybe I’m being cleaner than usual. LOL. Such a stunning shot of the tulip!

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JoNell Ruddiman

March 15, 2009

oh Kate, ANTS are my biggest pet peeve..bring on the Raid…I think I could handle a mouse more than ants!!! How can they NOT be there one minute and you look back and they brought all their relatives!!! Love the Tulip tho!!

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gail

March 15, 2009

Kate, The tulip with its friend is a wonderful shot! We haven’t seen ants in the house…yet, but in they are starting to be active in the garden and it really does mean spring to us! gail

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Annie in Austin

March 16, 2009

After you recognize your enemy, first you immortalize him – then dispatch him. Is that the definition of a practical artist?
Ants can be year-round here, but in Illinois their invasion usually was a sign of spring…sure hope that’s true for you now, Kate!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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Karen – An Artist’s Garden

March 16, 2009

Beautiful tulip, shame about the ant.
I found masses at the weekend – but we have had a few lovey days here in the UK so I expect they have gone mad. 😦
K

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Shady Gardener

March 16, 2009

Kate, You have had several beautiful tulips with which to pacify yourself until they’re growing on their own outdoors. I wouldn’t expect to see an ant, yet! I’m assuming your house is nice and warm and cozy! 🙂

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Layanee DeMerchant

March 17, 2009

I am enjoying all of your beautiful tulip photos, ant and all. Glad you are back to posting.

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Laura

March 18, 2009

I think my property is on top of the Royal Palace of the ant world. I can’t take two steps outside without stepping on ants. I was pretty lucky last year not to get invaded inside the house. The year before was horrible. Hopefully this year, no ants will invade my domain. 🙂
Blessings
~*~

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Diane Schuller

March 18, 2009

At least the ant is drawn to sheer beauty in its final moments!

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Brenda Kula

March 18, 2009

I too saw lots of ants today in East Texas. Oh no, I thought. The brigade of terrorists have begun in the yard…

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Weeping Sore

March 19, 2009

Yikes, ants! It’s the tiny black ones that drive me nuts. They’ve been sleeping all winter, but any day now, they’ll be out and they’ll be wherever I want to sit on the ground and weed or plant. I understand that while they used to keep themselves in check by fighting to the death when one colony encountered another, scientists now think they are all one single colony and that’s why they’re so ubiquitous.

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Linda O’Neill

March 19, 2009

Eeew icky poo ants! I just had my first sighting today too. There was a whole mound of them covering some bricks on our walkway. Spring has sprung I guess…but do the ants have to show up to the party?;)

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Balisha

March 19, 2009

We had a mosquito in the house and I saw a fly today. Early for Northern Illinois.

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priya

March 20, 2009

Wow!Both this and the next photograph of pink tulips are amazing. They look delicious and these colours remind me of ice cream.

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Shady Gardener

March 21, 2009

Hi Kate! I just have to tell you that I’ve put a link to you on my most recent post! Enjoy!! 🙂

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wiseacre

March 24, 2009

Ants are better than deer. I’m beginning to think the deer now outnumber the ants around here 🙂

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Kylee from Our Little Acre

March 28, 2009

While working in the gardens last week, I encountered an ant colony! Those little red ones that make the air smell really sweet – do you know what I mean?

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Bren/ BGgarden

April 19, 2009

This is an amazing post – I am so glad I stopped by your blog this afternoon. Happy Spring! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds for you in the garden.

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