I've hooked the queen and her now FOUR nantics to a new outworld with a better nesting option.
Her daughters are nervously exploring the new space until they get freaked out and run back to mom.
It's amazing to watch.
#queenant #antqueen #antkeeping #ants #petant #carpenterants #camponotus #camponotusPennsylvanicus
It is unreasonable that any bug could be this cute! when I open the drawer she always carefully picks up her eggs. She’s holding the most mature larva and it’s silk cocoon in the first photo. I guess she’s ready to run and start over if needed. What an incredible mother.
If you look back through this thread you can see how far she's come!
#ants #antqueen #antkeeping #carpenterAnts #camponotus #camponotusPennsylvanicus
5 Ways to Use #FallenTrees, According to Arborists
Don't let a fallen tree go to waste.
By Michelle Mastro
Published on February 18, 2026
"A dead tree lying in the middle of your yard can detract from your home’s overall beauty. But before having it hauled away and disposed of, consider the many ways you can give it a second life. From turning leaves into garden mulch to repurposing the trunk into a beautiful garden path, using fallen trees in the garden is a sustainable practice that helps your green spaces thrive. Ahead, arborists share the genius ways they’ve used fallen trees to support plants and local wildlife.
[...]
"Consider allowing the tree to decompose naturally to support fungi and surrounding trees. 'Retaining a certain amount of dead wood within an environment can allow the surrounding trees to benefit,' Middleton says. Some fungi will take the easiest opportunity available to them, utilizing the dead tree rather than 'attacking' healthy, standing trees, he says.
"At the same time, dead wood is also incredibly valuable to #wildlife, supporting #biodiversity by providing shelter, nesting, and food sources for birds, insects, and small mammals. In fact, fallen trees are a favorite feeding spot of pileated #woodpeckers, who love the #CarpenterAnts often found there.
Read more:
https://www.marthastewart.com/ways-to-use-fallen-trees-11907559
Photo a Day 16: Fallen Beasts
Shop: https://mike-smale.pixels.com/featured/fallen-beasts-mike-smale.html
#Photography #Stump #Trees #Rot #Termites #CarpenterAnts #Abstract #Art #Artwork #GiftShop
@futurebird , this one reminded me of you: A NY carpenter ant going about their business, at the Cranberry Flats Conservancy, south of Saskatoon.
Signs you have carpenter ants
1. keep finding tiny tools
2. city sends tiny permit to affix to baseboard
3. try to move a book, are told “keep this entrance clear, ma’am” because of “cement delivery coming later”
4. Your dish rack is dismantled “because it’ll be cheaper to rebuild from scratch”
5. no room on the dresser due to like 85 tiny pickups illegally parked there
6. husband keeps hearing high pitched wolf whistles when exiting shower
myrmepropagandist
LeadingLines
Heliograph
DoomsdaysCW
Mike Smale
Sisyphus with a Hat