Never Ending War

 I don't like fire ants. They have a purpose, but not in my yard. They build mounds, and give me a target.

There are two basic types of insecticides for fire ants. One type is placed on the mound, some require watering after application, and the mound is supposed to die within a short period of time. I found it works, but only for a short period of time, unless rain is immanent. The poison is extremely toxic to the ants, and sometimes doesn't kill the queen. The ants will migrate, and a new mound will be formed. 

The other is a bait. Instead of placing it on the mound, it's scattered around the mound, and best if the mound is not disturbed. The ants will forage in the morning, and evening, bring the bait into the mound, and eventually all are killed; including the queen. This one I like, since the final result is complete eradication of the colony. It takes day, but the ants are eventually terminated.

At the start of this season, I had around a dozen fairly large mounds in the yard. With a little effort, I only will find an occasional small mound. Usually this happens after a rain event, and I think the ants are from somewhere else. Large mounds can have swarms of ants leaving, and they can fly a substantial distance. 

For those that don't know fire ants, they have a stinger like a wasp, which they use to kill anything they perceive as an attacker. Stand on a mound, and within seconds, hundreds of stinging ants will swarm up your leg, and start stinging. The stings leave painful pustules that can become infected. That, and some are allergic to the venom, which can lead to anaphylactic shock. Enough of the venom, and even the strongest can succumb. We had a local motel find a guest swarming with ants, and the report said they are what killed the man.

After years of watching fire ants, I realized our highway system was instrumental in their spread. The highway is full of dead insects, trash with food,  and road kill. The mowed edges, abundance of food, and unimpeded spread are a perfect environment for the ants. Over time, they've now reached any parts of the U.S. where the ground doesn't freeze to a depth that kills the ants. 

The Narrative Goat

 In order to continue the narrative that the Wuhan Virus is really, really dangerous, Fauci will be sacrificed to continue the effort to remove liberty from citizens. It's a standard ploy, and what's sad is how many people will follow the narrative, be stupid with their programmed reaction, and thousands of petty tyrants won't be tarred and feathered for their collusion in the madness. A less polite society would have ended this crap months ago, and some people would be wondering why their punishment is so harsh, and praying we don't vote keel-hauling back in as the accepted form of punishment for such things.

Dynasties of Deceit

 Politics suck. So do the "dynasties" that have corrupted the United States for a long, long time. We've had Roosevelts, Kennedys, Bushes, and their chosen few to allow liberty to be slowly shuffled out the door. Regardless of how the Presidency is supposed to be a separate power, history shows the rest of the powers in government are either minions, or integral parts of the effort to make the nation one that answers to the whims of a ruling class. 

Bleh!

Never Forget

Peanut Hoarders and Thieves

 We usually have  at least one pair of red belly woodpeckers every year. They rob the feeder for food, fly away, and over time, they will bring their hatchlings to the feeder for food. Eventually, they chase the young ones away, and the cycle starts again next year. 

We had an occasional redheaded woodpecker last year. The eventually brought their two youngsters for food, chased them away when they were ready, and they disappeared. 

About a month ago, a redheaded woodpecker decided the feeder was in his territory and would chase away the other woodpeckers. As we watched, we realized he would take peanuts, go to the power pole, and push them into crevasses in the wood. The amount was amazing, and if I had to guess, there were over two dozen to be seen. 

The day before yesterday, when the redheaded woodpecker was away, the red belly male robbed his peanuts from the pole. He succeeded in taking them all during the day, and the redheaded woodpecker could only chase it away, when he discovered the trespasser in its territory. 

Yesterday, the redheaded woodpecker started its hoarding again. There aren't any peanuts to be seen in the crevasses this morning, although I watched it place them during the day. I have the feeling the effort is fruitless, and it's labor will be in vain.