National Geographic recently published a gallery of ant portraits photographed by Eduard Florin Nigra. He has produced a series of ant “headshots” that is quoted as “[opening] a door to a completely new world.” The ant portraits are incredible and really do give us a unique insight into these fascinating creatures. The ants were photographed along with many other species for Nigra’s recently published book Ants: Workers of the World. He said his goal in producing the book is to highlight the fascinating microscopic universe that exists around us but one of which is usually impossible to see. Take a look for yourself for this incredible photography and to read more about his study.
Ant Portraits
We can all appreciate the wonder of ants and their ability to withstand pressures up to 5,000 times their weight. However, we don’t necessarily want them doing all their incredibly fascinating work in our homes. While I typically avoid stepping on anthills if I am hiking and doing activities like that, but that is where I prefer them to stay, in the wild and not in my home. Often if one ant is spotted indoors, it can indicate you are on your way to a full-blown ant infestation. Ants are intelligent and once they find a solid food source, they will not mess around and will get right to work. They lay down a pheromone trail to attract others from their colony drawing in large numbers of ants. If you find food items in your kitchen overrun with ants, it is time to call a professional.
A few tips to keep ants out of your home are:
- Keep the floors vacuumed and swept to avoid leaving food particles that will attract them.
- Seal all open food.
- Keep pet feeding areas clean and dry.
- Have your home or business professionally treated on a regular basis.
The summer is upon us, which calls for many outdoor events involving food. Carrying food to and from indoors and outdoors can leave food dropping inviting ants inside.
If you notice ants inside or near the outside of your home, contact Terminator Termite and Pest Control, 479.783.6200, to help you keep your home ant-free.