Category Archives: ants

More Bug Watching

Posted on October 2, 2017 by the roused bear

Thistles are spectacular for their ability to attract butterflies and other pollinators.  When the thistles are at their peak, they attract not only the largest, most beautiful butterflies, but also the smaller skippers and bees, wasps, and flies of all … Continue reading →

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Mob Rule

Posted on June 29, 2015 by the roused bear

Yesterday I saw some ants on a gravel road.  I don’t know the species but I am guessing Formica obscuripes.  As near as I can tell a number of workers are holding down and killing another worker of the same … Continue reading →

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Might be Mites

Posted on November 19, 2014 by the roused bear

Back near the end of October I had the occasion to split some firewood, and ran across some ants within one of the logs I split. I am not an ant expert, but I think that the species is Camponotus … Continue reading →

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Life on a Burr Oak

Posted on July 5, 2014 by the roused bear

Today was a very rainy day.  I was on my own and I wanted to make the most of it.  My plan was to chase butterflies, but because of the rain and overcast conditions I thought I wouldn’t happen.  But … Continue reading →

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Ants on Peonies

Posted on May 26, 2014 by the roused bear

I saw these ants on peony flower buds yesterday. Peonies always attract ants.  They seem to get some kind of food from the tips of the emerging petals. I think these are Formica subsericea.  

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This Might be a Little More Difficult

Posted on January 14, 2014 by the roused bear

In 2010 I spent some time taking photos of Formica exsectoides ants on the outside of their mound. With the boroscope, I might be able to take photos of the ants inside their nest. Assuming they let me…

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An Ant Tending Treehoppers

Posted on September 14, 2013 by the roused bear

I found this ant, Formica exsectoides, tending some adults of the treehopper Entylia carinata on the underside of a giant ragweed leaf. These are very common normally but I haven’t noticed them so much this year.

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Ants and Treehoppers

Posted on August 14, 2012 by the roused bear

I ran across some clusters of treehoppers and ants on giant ragweed yesterday and today. Here the ant is the Allegheny mound ant, Formica exsectoides.  The treehoppers are nymphs, but I think they are Publilia concava.  The ants and treehoppers … Continue reading →

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Looking for Inspiration

Posted on July 19, 2012 by the roused bear

I am not a musician but I often think that being a photographer is a lot like being a musician.  You do it for reasons that aren’t readily apparent to others.  You have to practice often.  Often you specialize–maybe you … Continue reading →

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Ants and Butterflies

Posted on July 17, 2012 by the roused bear

I checked out the plant that had the aphids and ants on it again tonight.  It seemed to me that there were fewer ants and especially fewer aphids than yesterday.  Why?  Or was it just my imagination–I did not count … Continue reading →

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