#115 - frowned upon

Over Memorial Day weekend, our kitchen received some company that has since well worn out its welcome. There is a daily massacre; a flood of Windex leaves hundreds of black ants struggling to survive, only to heave them in heaps of carnage. A few weeks ago, I had a bonding experience with one of the aforementioned ants. I had just finished windexing all of his friends to death, when one lonely solider caught my eye. He was crawling along the wall from the kitchen to the living room. Before smashing him to death, I took a closer look. He was making his way to safety, carrying the dead body of a fallen compadre. I sat on the stairs, unable to take my eyes away from this noble creature. Maybe it was devotion: his true love had fallen by the way of the toxins and he was carrying her away, to pay his respects and bury her live-less body. They had spent a life-time together; digging, scavenging for food, and looking out for each other -- waiting for a time when they could leave the hill and build a home of their own. Or perhaps a long time best friend -- defending their queen along side one another, warning each other of impending hazards and toxic odors. But one time, out on the hunt, his friend was just too slow and his leg got caught in a pool of window cleaner.

Whatever the reason and whatever the relationship these two had, I thought Little Ant's devotion should be recognized and supported. I took numerous pictures, all of which did not come out (Little Ant was too tiny), and finally helped the only way I knew how. I put these two on a piece of paper and carried them outside to the driveway so Little Ant could find an appropriate burial ground. Upon paper-release, they got separated. Little Ant, confused and lost, wandered in circles for a while before finally finding a course and headed, alone, friendless, loveless to the safety of the grass.

Fast forward to this morning. I was wiping up the remains of hundreds of more ants when again, crossing the sink counter was another noble wanderer, carrying the lifeless body of a fallen friend. I quickly called Sami down to look at this amazing feat, when she then proceeded to tell me that they do that all the time and he's just carrying the dead ant back to the house so they can eat him. EAT HIM! I was appalled! Can this be true?! He's not a noble or respectful hero at all?! He's a bloodthirsty cannibal!? And to think, I was led astray... lied to by Little Ant! I was encouraging him to EAT his less than lucky fellow ant. I was so disturbed -- I killed that cannibal carrier and with more force and hatred than I had all the rest.

If this is true: that ants carry and eat their fallen friends, then I want nothing to do with them ever again and now take much more pleasure in their utter destruction! Horrid little creatures...