I walked across a paved parking lot this morning after a little rainstorm and stepped in a little puddle while getting into my car. I sat on the driver seat, and then swung my legs into the car. I put a foot down and picked it up and when I did so, I noticed that there was a large, reddish-brown ant crawling around where I was putting my feet. It was a Fire Ant, and I squished it with my shoe. I knew that if I didn’t kill it, it would sting me. I knew it would not be possible to “airlift” a fire ant onto a pencil, or a finger, or a piece of paper and get him out of my car back to his “home.”
Watch out, Fire Ants can swim. Actually I think they sort of float on the surface of the water, on their mean little feet. (I can muster up some [un]conditional love* for the Roach, but I have to dig way down deep to do so for the Fire Ant.)
The Animal Medicine website, http://www.animalspirits.com/index1.html has the following entry for Ant:
“Ant’s Wisdom Includes:
- Patience
- Stamina
- Planning
- Energy and patience needed to complete work
- Communal living
- Storing for the future”
I suppose this fits Fire Ants, to some extent, but there’s more, unique to Fire Ants. Fire Ants are an imported species to Florida, and as such, have few (if any) predators here. ire Ants are aggressive: when you interrupt a Fire Ant, it will sting you. So, you have to be vigilant and observant, to watch your step and pay attention to where you are going. You have to be prepared to defend yourself or you will get stung.
[*] see next post.
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Whale Maiden-Suburban Shaman 