This Way To My Blog

This Way To My Blog

Friday, August 9, 2013

Red Ants, Rabbits, And Pecans

Besides rattlesnakes the ranch is known for big red ants. Their dens are all over the place. I wonder if they ever sting the cattle. When I was young when I got stung by one it would make me sick. I've been stung by fire ants, wasp and many things but nothing hurt like big red ants. John used to go around hunting the dens and putting poisen out but no more. Horned toads like red ants and that may be part of the reason there aren't many of them left so he lets them be now. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Hope they don't ever sting the cows. Now they have envaded Susie's territory, the front porch. Wonder if they rode in from the ranch, we used to not have them here. We got on to their trail and found their den on John's vacant lot next door so he did put out poisen as we have never seen a horned toad around here. I'm so excited about the return of the rabbits, both cottontails and jacks. We saw both this morning. The cottontails have taken up residence near the farm house and the cattle pens and don't seem to be too afraid of us. John has a good pecan crop this year for as young as the trees are. I'm glad he is giving them water in the hot dry weather.

6 comments:

Leave It To Davis said...

When all the wildlife started getting to be slim pickins around here, we blamed the fire ants killing the babies. Since all the small animals seem to be making a comeback, I wonder if they have adapted....and how. We used to see those big mounds of red ants all the time when I was young, but they have all but disappeared from around here. So have the horney toads. Can't they eat other ants? I wonder if the big red ants and the fire ants fight it out for territory. Poor animals, whatever the case....you KNOW they get stung by them and bitten by flies and mosquitoes! Darned pests!

jack69 said...

The fire ants are out biggest problem, but the red ants run a close second. What we need is 'ant eaters' they are faster than the hornytoad. LOL.
On another subject. Saw the biggest pretty Black and whit cow at the fair, could not get a picture, but I was wondering, 3/4 of the tail was missing. Is that on purpose? I felt sorry that she didn't have a tail to fight flies.
Anyway. love the entry as usual and we all know you love the animals and it is always a fun read.
((HUGS)) from Ohio farm country.

TexWisGirl said...

i was watering my crape myrtles the other night while i walked down to get the mail. got distracted by my dog trying to fight with the trespassing neighbor dog and left the water run for 5 hours. *sigh* it's blooming now, though. :)

i bet those big ants HURT!

Jon said...

When I lived in San Angelo, the fire ants and big red ants were rampant. And the big reds really did sting like a bee.

I haven't seen any red ants here in Brownfield, but perhaps I haven't looked hard enough......

Chatty Crone said...

I got to tell you - those red ants and we have them here - are awful!

Lynne said...

I can't remember if it was FL or TX but when I was little my sister and I stepped onto a mound and were swarmed. Those lil things hurt! My mom ended up having to turn on the hose and hose us down in order to rid us of the lil biters! I read in First Magazine, one natural way to ward off ants is to use writing chalk. There is something in it they don't like. So far, most of our bug pests are spider, bees/wasps, and beetle variety. One of the perks for living in a farm field, lol.