Thread: How many of you know what this is?

Originally Posted by JackofDiamonds

I think I know ... Where is it?

That nest is in Jacksboro, TX at old Ft Richardson.


That my amigos is a "red ant" bed. I think they're technically called 'harvester ants'.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_harvester_ant

They do bite and their sting is memorable. They aren't real aggressive ( thank goodness) and are one of the primary meals for the horned toad. ( lizard)

The imported S American fire ants will kill out the colonies of the red ants. Rarely see 'em around here because of the fire ants. Still plentiful farther North and West yet.

Those are the ants the native Americans staked out their enemies upon. Having been stung on more occasions than I care to recount, I can only imagine how miserable getting nailed to a bed of those punks would be.

There ya go.

..........

I recognized it right away from memories of grandma's farm in central texas

I thought you blokes would have done better than that. I'm not from your neck of the woods and I recognised it. We have similar critters here that we call Bull Ants. They're on the larger side, and would be a more humane ant nest to be staked upon.


Mick

Heck I knew what that was, lived in Lubbock when I was a kid, messed with plenty of those, got stung more than a few times too

@MickR don't you guys have some ant called the Jump Jack or some such, very primitive and packs a wallop of a stinger ????

I knew this was gonna be somthin creepy crawley ........geeze ! Bullet ants are some of the worst.Their sting is literally like getting shot and deadly.

Paraponera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I stand corrected..not deadley ,but painful as all get out. Initiation rites from this ant are sick rediculous !

Looks very familiar although I normally saw these in caliche

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Heck I knew what that was, lived in Lubbock when I was a kid, messed with plenty of those, got stung more than a few times too

@MickR don't you guys have some ant called the Jump Jack or some such, very primitive and packs a wallop of a stinger ????

We do, but rare in my area of the continent. They're (Jack Jumper Ants) a close cousin to the Bull ant anyway. Look them up Steph. I reckon you might love them too.


Mick

Quit Buggin me man !....