ant surveying

counting ants

Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) or S. invicta

Bleu cheese ants (they smell like bleu cheese, tastes kinda minty- i tried)

morning

best.kolaches.ever. here

blooming cactus

mantis

This week was the first week and start of our ant survey as part of a scientific project to determine the impact of red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) on Prairie chickens. We went out and using a sweep net, collected insects and laid out hot dog bait to survey ant species and population. In total we had 42 points in pasture sites treated with fire ant poison (Fall 2009, 2010) and a control site which was never treated. The data has not been analyzed yet but we did see a difference in the number of ants in the treated sites compared to the controlled area. We went to work at 6am wednesday to drive about two hours to Goliad county. There is an agreement that USFW has with the landowner there. There is a population of about 26 chickens on site. We drove around in ATVs and helped a field tech person survey for ants and collect insects. It was a very long (13 hr), very hot day but it was an interesting field trip. This site had one of the last remaining wild prairie chickens before they were captured and bred in captivity. It was interesting to see the ecological difference between the APCNWR and the Goliad/Refugio county sites.