In December I did an inspection at Birch Bay and found a major infestation of carpenter ants. I smacked a joist that I knew was bad and here they came. Because I teach wood destroying organisms for Bellingham Technical College, I grabbed some of the damaged wood, the frass (shavings and chewings from the ants) and yes, a few live ants. I threw them in the back of my truck, tied up in a plastic bag. Call me cruel if you wish, but that is what I did. Then I got a cold, kind of forgot about them but decided to leave them in the truck. That was then and a photo of the wood, when taken from the home that day, is below.
This is now. I am teaching a class this week and took the bag out of my truck. Did not even know if it was still there till I had a revelation. But, sure enough, I found the bag and tore it open on the way into class. A couple early rising home inspection students were there and I told them of my treasure. As we were looking at it and I was pointing out the finer points of frass, the "dead" ant on top started moving, ever so slowly. We decided that we would keep him from escaping, so I can save him as a permanent part of the great ant exhibit. Needing caffeine, I put the two students in charge. Officially, in my capacity as the instructor, I made the most interested student temporarily -- "Keeper of the Ant." After making this appointment, and assigning the responsibility, I went for coffee.
When I got back, the students were both working, and busily so, as keepers of the ant. Except things had changed. Now they were both keepers of the ants. Ended up that about eight of the bugs were scurrying about. I guess, like bees in firewood that come to life when they warm-up, same with the ants. Ants tend to slow down in cold weather, so they did that in the canopy of my truck. Long story short, I put them in another plastic bag and, come Thursday and time for class, I will have quite the display ready. Real C. Modoc Carpenter ants. Silly story but amusing if you could have seen the students keeping track of these hustling insects.
Steven L. Smith
Bellingham WA Home Inspections
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