A column of ants are next to my desk, interested in some invisible residue at the bottom of my empty trash can. They are black and tiny, so I presume they will not bite me as they clean up my mess. Am I wrong to not be disgusted or frightened by their presence? There is something pleasing to knowing that in the walls of my building there is a hive of insects that only appear to clean up my messes.
It’s clear the previous residents had problems with ants, too, if the many plastic traps are any indication. And while I don’t particularly want to encourage them—time to wash out the trash can, obviously—it’s not like we’re going to be able to completely rid ourselves of them without tearing down the building, or at least sealing all the cracks (if their nest is outside). Is there something harmful about having ants in a home?
Humans live in a swirling ecosystem of micro-organisms, insects, and vermin. I can’t help but thinking it’s cool that ants might keep my house cleaner, or even preventing less desirable nasties to gain a foothold. (Maybe I should release ladybugs inside this summer!)
Ants are nothing more than tiny biological robots. And there is nothing gross about robots (unless you’re watching anime and they have tentacles).
Ants are very not-gross. They secrete antimicrobial goo all over their bodies and are rather intelligent (for insects) and sanitary. If you’re really hungry, scoop some up and eat them. Yum!
I don’t think ladybugs eat ants. What you really need is an anteater. How well are you connected with United States Customs and Border Protection?
you could get some praying mantis they eat everything and are pretty awesome(you can get egg sacks on ebay, i was gonna raise some for the dorm room)
i personally like ants, i used to eat them with my dad as a child.
i had ants in my house. they were the red bitey kind, so………they had a superb feast of borax
Although harmless, death to ants! I had a small problem in my old office and apartment. I invested in some Ortho-Max, and I never saw the SOBs again.
They may be smart and harmless, but I don’t want that in my house.
it is really interesting to watch them feast on the poison. they don’t do the trail back to the nest thing. they just sit there and binge. they eventually made it back, cause there was no dead ones laying around.
They’re fine until they start getting into your food. Getting up in the morning and pouring yourself a big bowl of Fruity Pebbles & ants just isn’t a pleasant way to start your day. They like to drown themselves in honey too. Ick. I mix borax with white sugar and put it in my windows between the screens and the glass. That way they don’t bother coming inside.
tec’s right: The getting into your food/onto food surfaces is the real issue. If they follow the sticky trail that say, your baby drips from his high chair, you could end up with the little buggers on your kid’s high chair or on the tray he eats from (!!), on your kitchen counters where you fix food… ick!
Yeah, fortunately they only seem to be in the half of the apartment away from the kitchen. But that’s why we’re not encouraging them, either!
We had ants in our bathroom. I guess they liked the wife’s sugar scrub. Anyway the bug guy came out and put some stuff down that looked like silicone caulk. He said not to clean where they have been until after they are gone.
Reason? According to this guy ants follow in a straight line by following a line of feces to the goods. You clear the path and they will wander around aimlessly. So I guess they really are like robots.
*Note to future robots this is only directed at the robots we have around in 2007. Please don’t take it out on my descendants.
Please, please, please do not use chemicals to solve unwanted insect problems. Use low silica diatomaceous earth.