The phrase, "ants in the pants" used to be just a funny expression to me, a classic toddler tabletop game from Hasbro, or a hilarious dance move in the energizer to Dave Matthew's song "Ants Marching." Now, it has a whole new meaning...
Over the past two days, Ryan and I have been initiated into those who have been bitten by army ants. Ryan two evenings in a row! As we were walking to the other side of the compound in the evening (and it's been very dark with no moon the past few days), we have wandered into a group of army ants on the move. On the hunt, really, I discovered after reading about them on wikipedia.
If you see them, marching in a column, you simply step over, or step around them. But when an unsuspecting human accidentally steps on them or disrupts the column, they climb up your legs, inside your trousers, and start biting. Often the first bite doesn't come until there are many inside your clothes, even up to your hairline! Our friend Ann thinks they have some sort of signal--that they all wait until they have infiltrated every part of your clothing and then all bite at once. I don't know about that. I do know it is painful. Ryan even had a few that drew blood! If this happens, you just have to hope you are close enough to a bathroom or some place where you can quickly strip down and rid yourself of the nasty buggers!
I did learn that army ants can be helpful to people, as they act as a natural pest-control for farmers, since they hunt and eat all the other insects in an area. They are also used as emergency sutures in the bush. Their pinchers are so strong, that if you get a cut in the bush, you can get the ant to bite on either side of the cut, then break off it's body, leaving it's head and pinchers as a little stitch to bind your wound.
In any case, I am certainly "once bitten, twice shy." Ann says they shouldn't last long--I hope she's right. I will be extra careful from now on to avoid them. No more short-cuts through the grass--only the road for me, with a torch (flashlight) to search them out!
4 comments:
I so enjoy your posts. So informative and entertaining (who knew about disrupting formation?). Thanks for keeping us updated on your adventures. Keep 'um coming!
My poor boy! They sound awful if the little buggers can actually draw blood! I hope your wounds are healing. I do agree that Molly is a great writer. Thanks for the education and for also pointing out their positive attributes. Very "Molly-like" and the reason we love you so! ~Love, Mom/Deb
I am adding the following to my gratitude list:
--am not, at this moment, being bitten by army ants
Thanks for helping to make me more grateful. (And sorry you had to have the experience!)
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