All I can think of is Monty Python. We have ants that are literally dropping their dead into our pool. It started last season. Has anyone ever experienced this, and if so (or even if not), do you have any tips on how we can discourage this? Attached is a picture of how many ants I skimmed in only one half of the pool. This is just after one evening.
Bring out the dead!
- Thread starter DanaSC
- Start date
Is it from a tree over the pool? Or some compromised concrete around the pool area? I'll be curious to see and hear any ideas you are given!
I wondered that last year... Until...I kid you not, I literally watched the ants carrying their dead to my pool. They walk over the edge and drop them in! I read up on this and it's true that they do remove their dead from their colony (smart little things!) but apparently they think they're setting them at sea. It's quite annoying.
I use ant granules to keep them under control and away from the house. Terro or Amdro.
Is it not possible to follow the trail back to the colony and set some ant bait, or is that not desirable in this case?
I should feel special. Maybe I do. LOL If we have any entomologists in the group that would like to study this behavior, I charge a nominal fee of daily skimming dead ants.Congratulations. Your pool is now hallowed ground.
I'll be honest, I actually am a bug hobbiest or whatever you might call it. I study them and have a great respect for them, so I prefer not to do that. I'm guessing they'd just find another way. I would rather deter them. Maybe the best is to put the granules around the pool deck.
Thanks John. It's a good idea. I'll look into that. I try to limit pest control here but that may be just enough to deter them and give them a chance to find another burial ground.
I use to be "into" bugs (did my replies indicate a softness?) lol ~ Your posts didn't seem to indicate frustration with the ants, just their practices
Now I've got this mental vision of a procession of ants carrying deceased members, walking in rhythym while they chant down a smooth walkway to the waters edge. maybe put some leaves over the trail to give it a nice shaded canopy look. Get some wooden matches and cut em into small pieces and leave a pile near the waters edge for them to use as viking funeral boats. You could even leave the matchheads for them to put chunks on the boats to properly put them aflame as they push thier honored dead out to sea. I think if you did this right you could have your own real life version of the awesome computer game Black and White. I LOVED playing that game years ago. If you've got a cat or something you could even have your own "hand of god" that randomly plays with the ants or destroys swathes of them capriciously.
Ahem. I'll be right back. Gotta go find the lock and get my inner nerd/weirdo locked back up tightly.
Ahem. I'll be right back. Gotta go find the lock and get my inner nerd/weirdo locked back up tightly.
This has entertained me so much!! I may have read it to several people for their enjoyment as well!