ScottP Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I was on the S Rib of Guye Peak this morning when I came across something I haven't seen in the 20 some-odd years I've been going up into the Cascades: The mound was nearly 3 feet tall and the base footprint was close to 5 feet in diameter. It was completely coveredwith ants to the density you see in the third, close-up picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrythellama Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 did you beat it with a stick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szyjakowski Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 pour diesel on the pile and light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzack Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 The end is nigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juan Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Erik may think this is a big fat bowl of Mexican Brown. You'll need one really big rolling paper, amigo. Â Sharp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottP Posted August 20, 2004 Author Share Posted August 20, 2004 did you beat it with a stick? The thought entered my mind, but I was afraid they would reduce me to a pile of bones in a matter of minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrythellama Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 just finnished the poisonwood bible and just that happend. drought drove the ants to overrun the village and consume everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 i heard the sasquatch will build such a mound to bury their dead and the ants reduce the remains to undistinguishable components very quickly, which is why no one has ever found a dead sasquatch in the woods!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szyjakowski Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Burn it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stemalot Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 dig it up dig it up!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 Those ant mounds are quite prevalent in the woods over here on the drier side of the state. Although I must admit I've never seen one that big. Pretty industrious little buggers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SublimeSalamander Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 Aren't those termites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronB Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 just finnished the poisonwood bible and just that happend. drought drove the ants to overrun the village and consume everything. Good to hear someone is keeping up on their "Oprah Book Club" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrythellama Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 whats it to you aaron? Â Â you seem awfully familar with the list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronB Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpine_Tom Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 Hey, Barbara Kingsolver is an excellent novelist (try Prodigal Summer if you haven't read anything of hers.) And at the risk of being sounding PC, I think Oprah's okay too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 sounds like something you'd bivy right next to by accident at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_Martin Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 About ten years ago a kid burned an ant hill down by Fort Lewis. The fire was extremely difficult to put out and caused a great deal of dammage. The reason it was such a big deal was because the fire went underground. It kept popping back up and causing problems long after they throught they had put it out. Burning anything in the backcountry is a bad idea...burning an ant hill is a really bad idea. Â Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapertimmy Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 big ant hills are rampant in the scrublands east of bend  i love to chuck rocks at em, and then give them golden showers, though i haven't tried dropping brown coils on them from great heights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 I've got one that size 50 feet from my front door. When they get too rambunctious around the house I figure they just need a project, so I go stir the pile with a (long) stick, give them something to do. Those little suckers do bite. Â There was an awesome/horrible ant tree belay on the E. Butt of El Cap, it may still be there for all I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 the ants are my friend, its blowing in the wind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szyjakowski Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 burn the anthill but have beer nearby to (if need be) put the fire out. <=FDept Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 If they were an invasive foreign species like fire ants, I'd say go ahead and smoke 'em. But they are probably just a native species that has been here all the time, mostly unnoticed. Any naturalists out there who might have a clue about how common such large hills are and what species this might be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_Martin Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 The problem which took place in Tacoma is due to the fact that ant hills exist underground. The fire finds its way into these ant hill tunnels and stays there. Even in major pacific northwest rainshowers some of these fires continue to smoulder only to spring up at an alternate location later on. Burning ant hills is a great way to cause a forest fire... Â Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.