Yesterday was the second of six Olli classes I’m taking at Florida State University on the Parallel Universe of Ants. For those of you unfamiliar with Olli, here’s a link to their website.
http://www.osherfoundation.org/index.php?olli
If you’re fortunate enough to live near a university offering Olli classes, I urge you to get involved. I’ve immersed myself in learning about ants now, and perhaps you can be immersed in some new interest as well.
Fabulous Ant Fact: Fire ants mate 300 feet above the earth; although, no one has actually witnessed the act.
So, how do we know this is the case? Researchers have taken to the air in planes with nets attached. These nets have collected the bodies of male fire ants as high above the earth as 300 feet.
The males fly in mating swarms early in the morning. Females follow later and return after each has mated with a male. The females then lose their wings and attempt to start their own colony. The males, having depleted their store of energy in the form of glycol, die upon returning to land.
I took copious amounts of notes during the lecture, but mostly I said “Oooh” and “Ahhhh!” at appropriate intervals.
Our instructor presented slides of dozens of varieties of ant species. Some look remarkably like aliens, if aliens exist.
Aren’t they beautiful?
Studly Doright thinks this class is ridiculous. I think it’s fantastic. They do say that opposites attract. Hope he hasn’t expended his store of glycol. 😉
Peace, people!
Praying for Eyebrowz 
Fancy an anticlimax taking place at 300 feet
LikeLiked by 1 person
I rarely said “ooh” and “aaah” in school. But I bet I would now also (or at least thought it). Education is wasted on the young. Good on you. – Marty
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know what you mean! It wasn’t cool too ooh and aaah after a certain age. Now I don’t care if it’s cool.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m starting to think of ants in a whole new way… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They’re pretty neat little insects. I have a big yard and we live near a lake, so I’m going to try some ant watching this weekend. Except we have a tropical storm blowing in….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw that warning on the news. Stay Safe!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! We should be fine and we need the rain.
LikeLike
I didn’t know I wanted to know any of that!!
I bet you didn’t know I once worked a summer job for an entomologist… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh wow! What kind of work did you do? One of my favorite sci-fi authors is an entomologist, and many of his books feature insects as main characters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pfff….I pinned dead cockroaches.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Fun times!
LikeLiked by 1 person
But Leslie, did you say AHHHHHHnt?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! If I didn’t this weekend I’ll make sure to do so next week!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Watching the space…
LikeLiked by 1 person
About the only creepy crawly that doesn’t actually creep me out to see in any kind of detail would be, maybe, ladybugs. Glad you are having fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ants are fascinating!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are. I just don’t want them in my house.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too,lol
LikeLiked by 1 person