Philip Poburka on sat 9 nov 02
In general...
A method may be 'in' as follows...
Firstly, as you know, it is, in the immediate inter-species
scheme of
things, not 'your' Woodpile in their view...but rather you
may at this point, be
the interloper
and agressor, interfereing with them, and with something as
belongs to
them...or, it depends upon 'how' you do so.
The Woodpile is a feature in or of, or on, a Territory as
belongs in some ways to them in so far as the use of the
resources
it has to it. AND they, bye some accounts are 'in', a
Territory
as belongs to you, as well.
And 'quid-pro-quo' may have meaning in these kinds of
matters...as, to allow them
some regard and recompense for their troubles, if obliged
to
accomidate your interest in 'your' or 'their', or merely,
truely,
'the'...Woodpile...
The method then, may be to remove one piece of Wood at a
time...(which one tends to do anyway, more or less...I
suppose...) and one may puff
a little blow of Air as may be, or strike the
piece of Wood's butt end just 'hard' enough,
on an adjascent one, to dislodge the possible
Hangers-on...if any, and if you do it correctly, they shall
move away from you as you work, and it shall be thereby all
the easier.
They will understand something is happenning as they may
easily accept and not worry on.
And as the Wood is taken, and set far enough aside for them
to
ignore, it should go quickly enough, once you have the
cadence of
it...and...watch your feet as to avoid crushing or bruising
of them, if they are near still.
Be kind...
Once you have gotten through the Pile, having got all the
Wood thus free of them, or free from them...and set far
enough aside for them to ignore...
Before you begin in fact,
get a little scoop of Ice-Cream or other, and set it there
for 'em...make your thoughts clear, and let them know it is
from 'you'...and 'for' them...'Ritz-Crackers' (which about
all Creatures seem
to like) and small seeds are favoured
as well by many larger Ants...
...'word' gets out...they have two things then in this
particular matter to be
considering the interest and import of...the
arrival-presence of a curious food, (the
presence IN both these 'events' of you,) and the perhaps
none too compelling to them,
mystery of the diminishing Woodpile...
And...as they are accepting of how it is, that 'things'
come-and-go, I would expect no remourse from them on
account of it's absence once moved.
That's what I'd do...
"Ants"...
They been here a long Time...and often, usually... it is us
who are unwittingly 'in'...or on, their Territories...even
as they may be found to be 'in' ours.
Individual Colonies may persist decades I believe...maybe
more...or in sucessions, as may be...
Likely you'd set the Woodpile on, or near an entrance of
their subterranian Home...so far as they know, it just
happenned to appear there, and there are food-things,
moisture related little fungi, mites, surfaces and
trace-elements, exudae,
and interesting things generally to and for them, in it's
interstices and various of areas.
It can upset them to have something of theirs messed
with, if to do so, they are to be getting stepped on or
hurt, as may
be for 'reasons'
as are likely outside their empathetic scope of diplomatic
accomidations to aceed. They may become upset, and go into a
'War' mode...
If respectful of them, they will give no quarrel or defense.
You may take the 'pile', and they will be okay with that.
So...the less you step on them, or in any way hurt them, the
easier it shall be.
I have managed well in situations as you describe...as well
with Bees, Wasps and Hornets and the like...but it
is important to be careful with your feet, and to be tender
to them. Be aware of them, and of their interests in the
matter.
One may get along with them just fine, and....it is not hard
to
do so.
Give them something defferential to them, and respect them,
and you can do this without getting bit, or too, you can get
the living daylights bit out of you, if you do not respect
them.
Which I think...is fair-enough..!
Ants have many interests, beyond the immediate of food and
local topographies. They are interested in Geo-magnetic,
Barometric and Climatic matters generally, and the nuances
of them, and in various subtle and other energies
of the Earth. Many things...
I like them...
There have been some times when I have bumbled into chores,
or
moveing things as had many angry Ants getting on me, I had
been stepping on them, not noticing what I was doing, and I
had just not
been paying attention...so I payed for my rudeness to them.
I had some hundreds, or maybe many
hundreds of them biting me, to where I could taste quite
strongly, the formic acid in my exhalations and in my
saliva for some while after. Their little straining bodies
intently biteing me
all over my arms and inside my trouser legs. Welts comeing
up...all that zig-zag of nerve jagged impulses and little
flashes of pain amid a larger symphony of it.
They have sometimes the elected co-ordination to bite nearly
all at once, too, having been getting into position on one.
Yikes!
I just backed away a little ways, and kept my thoughts
humble and apologetic to them...and made sure I was not
stepping on any of them...and did nothing else.
Just stood
with my Arms out away from my body, trying not to trap any
of them in my clothes.
I made, would make,
no effort to brush them off my Arms or to resist. That one
time, I
just had an old sleeveless 'tee' shirt and trousers
on...bare feet too...felt like I was on fire...with ice
picks hiting me all over.
...after a little while they stopped biteing, and in their
numbers and the odd stragglers, crawled off of me and back
to whatever they'd been doing. The mood shifted...Some took
a while to struggle
their deeply sunk mandibles dislodged...It took a little
while, but
for me it was interesting, and felt like the polite thing
for me to
do. A 'closed cycle'...they had made their 'point', and I
conceeded. I was contrite.
I said "...excuse me please...I am sorry!"...and left 'em be
for a while...bring them
somethings as to eat...let them know I was aware of them,
and interested IN them...
They were a fiece
bunch these ones were...others had stepped on them often.
They never hold grudges.
I came back more 'careful'...payed attention to when they
were
on these items, on the ground, and when they were not...had
no troubles, and
gave none either. Made friends with 'em...
Got the stuff moved...gave them little things to eat...said
'Hello' to them...
Life goes on...
Phil
Las Vegas
Marta Matray Gloviczki on sun 10 nov 02
oh my gosh, phil,
your post is such a nice reading, your fire ant story is wonderful!
i`m not sure i`d be able to do what you did, but if they (the ants) ever
come after me, i will certainly try my best...
i hope that merrie can take away her wood from the ants without
"going to war against them".
marta
Philip Poburka <> wrote:
>In general...
>
>A method may be 'in' as follows...
>
>Firstly, as you know, it is, in the immediate inter-species
>scheme of
>things, not 'your' Woodpile in their view...but rather you
>may at this point, be
>the interloper
>and agressor, interfereing with them, and with something as
>belongs to
>them...or, it depends upon 'how' you do so.
>
>The Woodpile is a feature in or of, or on, a Territory as
>belongs in some ways to them in so far as the use of the
>resources
>it has to it. AND they, bye some accounts are 'in', a
>Territory
>as belongs to you, as well.
>
>And 'quid-pro-quo' may have meaning in these kinds of
>matters...as, to allow them
>some regard and recompense for their troubles, if obliged
>to
>accomidate your interest in 'your' or 'their', or merely,
>truely,
>'the'...Woodpile...
>
>
>The method then, may be to remove one piece of Wood at a
>time...(which one tends to do anyway, more or less...I
>suppose...) and one may puff
>a little blow of Air as may be, or strike the
>piece of Wood's butt end just 'hard' enough,
>on an adjascent one, to dislodge the possible
>Hangers-on...if any, and if you do it correctly, they shall
>move away from you as you work, and it shall be thereby all
>the easier.
>
>They will understand something is happenning as they may
>easily accept and not worry on.
>
>And as the Wood is taken, and set far enough aside for them
>to
>ignore, it should go quickly enough, once you have the
>cadence of
>it...and...watch your feet as to avoid crushing or bruising
>of them, if they are near still.
>
>Be kind...
>
>Once you have gotten through the Pile, having got all the
>Wood thus free of them, or free from them...and set far
>enough aside for them to ignore...
>Before you begin in fact,
>get a little scoop of Ice-Cream or other, and set it there
>for 'em...make your thoughts clear, and let them know it is
>from 'you'...and 'for' them...'Ritz-Crackers' (which about
>all Creatures seem
>to like) and small seeds are favoured
>as well by many larger Ants...
>
>...'word' gets out...they have two things then in this
>particular matter to be
>considering the interest and import of...the
>arrival-presence of a curious food, (the
>presence IN both these 'events' of you,) and the perhaps
>none too compelling to them,
>mystery of the diminishing Woodpile...
>
>And...as they are accepting of how it is, that 'things'
>come-and-go, I would expect no remourse from them on
>account of it's absence once moved.
>
>That's what I'd do...
>
>"Ants"...
>
>They been here a long Time...and often, usually... it is us
>who are unwittingly 'in'...or on, their Territories...even
>as they may be found to be 'in' ours.
>Individual Colonies may persist decades I believe...maybe
>more...or in sucessions, as may be...
>
>Likely you'd set the Woodpile on, or near an entrance of
>their subterranian Home...so far as they know, it just
>happenned to appear there, and there are food-things,
>moisture related little fungi, mites, surfaces and
>trace-elements, exudae,
>and interesting things generally to and for them, in it's
>interstices and various of areas.
>
>It can upset them to have something of theirs messed
>with, if to do so, they are to be getting stepped on or
>hurt, as may
>be for 'reasons'
>as are likely outside their empathetic scope of diplomatic
>accomidations to aceed. They may become upset, and go into a
>'War' mode...
>
>If respectful of them, they will give no quarrel or defense.
>You may take the 'pile', and they will be okay with that.
>
>So...the less you step on them, or in any way hurt them, the
>easier it shall be.
>
>I have managed well in situations as you describe...as well
>with Bees, Wasps and Hornets and the like...but it
>is important to be careful with your feet, and to be tender
>to them. Be aware of them, and of their interests in the
>matter.
>
>One may get along with them just fine, and....it is not hard
>to
>do so.
>
>Give them something defferential to them, and respect them,
>and you can do this without getting bit, or too, you can get
>the living daylights bit out of you, if you do not respect
>them.
>
>Which I think...is fair-enough..!
>
>Ants have many interests, beyond the immediate of food and
>local topographies. They are interested in Geo-magnetic,
>Barometric and Climatic matters generally, and the nuances
>of them, and in various subtle and other energies
>of the Earth. Many things...
>
>I like them...
>
>There have been some times when I have bumbled into chores,
>or
>moveing things as had many angry Ants getting on me, I had
>been stepping on them, not noticing what I was doing, and I
>had just not
>been paying attention...so I payed for my rudeness to them.
>
>I had some hundreds, or maybe many
>hundreds of them biting me, to where I could taste quite
>strongly, the formic acid in my exhalations and in my
>saliva for some while after. Their little straining bodies
>intently biteing me
>all over my arms and inside my trouser legs. Welts comeing
>up...all that zig-zag of nerve jagged impulses and little
>flashes of pain amid a larger symphony of it.
>
>They have sometimes the elected co-ordination to bite nearly
>all at once, too, having been getting into position on one.
>Yikes!
>
>I just backed away a little ways, and kept my thoughts
>humble and apologetic to them...and made sure I was not
>stepping on any of them...and did nothing else.
>Just stood
>with my Arms out away from my body, trying not to trap any
>of them in my clothes.
>I made, would make,
>no effort to brush them off my Arms or to resist. That one
>time, I
>just had an old sleeveless 'tee' shirt and trousers
>on...bare feet too...felt like I was on fire...with ice
>picks hiting me all over.
>
>...after a little while they stopped biteing, and in their
>numbers and the odd stragglers, crawled off of me and back
>to whatever they'd been doing. The mood shifted...Some took
>a while to struggle
>their deeply sunk mandibles dislodged...It took a little
>while, but
>for me it was interesting, and felt like the polite thing
>for me to
>do. A 'closed cycle'...they had made their 'point', and I
>conceeded. I was contrite.
>
>I said "...excuse me please...I am sorry!"...and left 'em be
>for a while...bring them
>somethings as to eat...let them know I was aware of them,
>and interested IN them...
>They were a fiece
>bunch these ones were...others had stepped on them often.
>
>They never hold grudges.
>
>I came back more 'careful'...payed attention to when they
>were
>on these items, on the ground, and when they were not...had
>no troubles, and
>gave none either. Made friends with 'em...
>
>Got the stuff moved...gave them little things to eat...said
>'Hello' to them...
>
>Life goes on...
>
>
>Phil
>Las Vegas
Leland G. Hall on sun 10 nov 02
Hi Phil.
That was absolutly the most charming and lovely thing I've heard in a long
long time. About how to get along with the ants in the woodpile that
is...or ants in general for that matter. In fact how to just get along I
should think. Reminds me very much of how Tibetian Buddists, before
building an addition to their monastary, will spend days, weeks or however
long it takes, ever so carefully digging, one handfull at a time, up the
building site, so as to evacuate each and every earth worm that otherwise
would have been destroyed by the structure. Ah but that we all would stive
so dillegently to do no harm. One World. One. Just one.
Thanks.
Very Best Regards
Leland Hall
Before The Wheel Enterprises
Philip Poburka on sun 10 nov 02
Thank you!
Nice of you to say...
...yes...
It can be done easily enough...they likely do not mind if
the pile is removed. They mind getting, or having their
fellows getting, hurt, killed...stepped on.
If careful of them...happy relations may be likely be
enjoyed.
Maybe some Hives are simply more difficult and aggressive
than others...could be.
I allways managed allright though, with the ones I dealt
with.
Phil
Las Vegas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marta Matray Gloviczki"
To:
Sent: Saturday, November 09, 2002 10:43 PM
Subject: Re: Fire ants in the wood pile ! Skip-to-Maloo...?
oh my gosh, phil,
your post is such a nice reading, your fire ant story is
wonderful!
i`m not sure i`d be able to do what you did, but if they
(the ants) ever
come after me, i will certainly try my best...
i hope that merrie can take away her wood from the ants
without
"going to war against them".
marta
Philip Poburka <> wrote:
>In general...
>
>A method may be 'in' as follows...
>
>Firstly, as you know, it is, in the immediate inter-species
>scheme of
>things, not 'your' Woodpile in their view...but rather you
>may at this point, be
>the interloper
>and agressor, interfereing with them, and with something as
>belongs to
>them...or, it depends upon 'how' you do so.
>
>The Woodpile is a feature in or of, or on, a Territory as
>belongs in some ways to them in so far as the use of the
>resources
>it has to it. AND they, bye some accounts are 'in', a
>Territory
>as belongs to you, as well.
>
>And 'quid-pro-quo' may have meaning in these kinds of
>matters...as, to allow them
>some regard and recompense for their troubles, if obliged
>to
>accomidate your interest in 'your' or 'their', or merely,
>truely,
>'the'...Woodpile...
>
>
>The method then, may be to remove one piece of Wood at a
>time...(which one tends to do anyway, more or less...I
>suppose...) and one may puff
>a little blow of Air as may be, or strike the
>piece of Wood's butt end just 'hard' enough,
>on an adjascent one, to dislodge the possible
>Hangers-on...if any, and if you do it correctly, they shall
>move away from you as you work, and it shall be thereby all
>the easier.
>
>They will understand something is happenning as they may
>easily accept and not worry on.
>
>And as the Wood is taken, and set far enough aside for them
>to
>ignore, it should go quickly enough, once you have the
>cadence of
>it...and...watch your feet as to avoid crushing or bruising
>of them, if they are near still.
>
>Be kind...
>
>Once you have gotten through the Pile, having got all the
>Wood thus free of them, or free from them...and set far
>enough aside for them to ignore...
>Before you begin in fact,
>get a little scoop of Ice-Cream or other, and set it there
>for 'em...make your thoughts clear, and let them know it is
>from 'you'...and 'for' them...'Ritz-Crackers' (which about
>all Creatures seem
>to like) and small seeds are favoured
>as well by many larger Ants...
>
>...'word' gets out...they have two things then in this
>particular matter to be
>considering the interest and import of...the
>arrival-presence of a curious food, (the
>presence IN both these 'events' of you,) and the perhaps
>none too compelling to them,
>mystery of the diminishing Woodpile...
>
>And...as they are accepting of how it is, that 'things'
>come-and-go, I would expect no remourse from them on
>account of it's absence once moved.
>
>That's what I'd do...
>
>"Ants"...
>
>They been here a long Time...and often, usually... it is us
>who are unwittingly 'in'...or on, their Territories...even
>as they may be found to be 'in' ours.
>Individual Colonies may persist decades I believe...maybe
>more...or in sucessions, as may be...
>
>Likely you'd set the Woodpile on, or near an entrance of
>their subterranian Home...so far as they know, it just
>happenned to appear there, and there are food-things,
>moisture related little fungi, mites, surfaces and
>trace-elements, exudae,
>and interesting things generally to and for them, in it's
>interstices and various of areas.
>
>It can upset them to have something of theirs messed
>with, if to do so, they are to be getting stepped on or
>hurt, as may
>be for 'reasons'
>as are likely outside their empathetic scope of diplomatic
>accomidations to aceed. They may become upset, and go into
a
>'War' mode...
>
>If respectful of them, they will give no quarrel or
defense.
>You may take the 'pile', and they will be okay with that.
>
>So...the less you step on them, or in any way hurt them,
the
>easier it shall be.
>
>I have managed well in situations as you describe...as well
>with Bees, Wasps and Hornets and the like...but it
>is important to be careful with your feet, and to be tender
>to them. Be aware of them, and of their interests in the
>matter.
>
>One may get along with them just fine, and....it is not
hard
>to
>do so.
>
>Give them something defferential to them, and respect them,
>and you can do this without getting bit, or too, you can
get
>the living daylights bit out of you, if you do not respect
>them.
>
>Which I think...is fair-enough..!
>
>Ants have many interests, beyond the immediate of food and
>local topographies. They are interested in Geo-magnetic,
>Barometric and Climatic matters generally, and the nuances
>of them, and in various subtle and other energies
>of the Earth. Many things...
>
>I like them...
>
>There have been some times when I have bumbled into chores,
>or
>moveing things as had many angry Ants getting on me, I had
>been stepping on them, not noticing what I was doing, and I
>had just not
>been paying attention...so I payed for my rudeness to them.
>
>I had some hundreds, or maybe many
>hundreds of them biting me, to where I could taste quite
>strongly, the formic acid in my exhalations and in my
>saliva for some while after. Their little straining bodies
>intently biteing me
>all over my arms and inside my trouser legs. Welts comeing
>up...all that zig-zag of nerve jagged impulses and little
>flashes of pain amid a larger symphony of it.
>
>They have sometimes the elected co-ordination to bite
nearly
>all at once, too, having been getting into position on one.
>Yikes!
>
>I just backed away a little ways, and kept my thoughts
>humble and apologetic to them...and made sure I was not
>stepping on any of them...and did nothing else.
>Just stood
>with my Arms out away from my body, trying not to trap any
>of them in my clothes.
>I made, would make,
>no effort to brush them off my Arms or to resist. That one
>time, I
>just had an old sleeveless 'tee' shirt and trousers
>on...bare feet too...felt like I was on fire...with ice
>picks hiting me all over.
>
>...after a little while they stopped biteing, and in their
>numbers and the odd stragglers, crawled off of me and back
>to whatever they'd been doing. The mood shifted...Some took
>a while to struggle
>their deeply sunk mandibles dislodged...It took a little
>while, but
>for me it was interesting, and felt like the polite thing
>for me to
>do. A 'closed cycle'...they had made their 'point', and I
>conceeded. I was contrite.
>
>I said "...excuse me please...I am sorry!"...and left 'em
be
>for a while...bring them
>somethings as to eat...let them know I was aware of them,
>and interested IN them...
>They were a fiece
>bunch these ones were...others had stepped on them often.
>
>They never hold grudges.
>
>I came back more 'careful'...payed attention to when they
>were
>on these items, on the ground, and when they were not...had
>no troubles, and
>gave none either. Made friends with 'em...
>
>Got the stuff moved...gave them little things to eat...said
>'Hello' to them...
>
>Life goes on...
>
>
>Phil
>Las Vegas
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
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Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
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Gregory Evans on sun 10 nov 02
Check this site out of fire ant control products. Bengal is one of them.
http://www.yardgeek.com/static/pest_control/synthetic_products/fire_ant.htm
Hendrix, Taylor J. on sun 10 nov 02
Ah. I do believe that lovely Phil isn't from around these parts. If =
ever the bodhisattva was trying to show us that nature is indeed red in =
tooth and claw it would be with the fire ant. I am truly sorry that =
many on the list have been denied this most exquisite and brutal truth =
every to crawl on six legs. Sorry that for you the path to =
enlightenment will be that much longer. Fire ants will harry your pets, =
destroy your corn, attack and kill small animals, wreck havoc on various =
and sundry electrical devices including tractor starters, generators, =
car ignitions, exterior lights, heaters, air conditoners, will invade =
your home, kill livestock, and yes in extreme cases kill humans. These =
are not exaggerations.
http://ipmworld.umn.edu/chapters/lockley.htm
http://www.ento.okstate.edu/fireants/ppt/
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~gilbert/research/fireants/faq.html
http://www.antcolony.org/fire_ants.htm
To get along with them is to kill them when they directly impact your =
daily living. In the garden, kill them. In your house, kill them. =
Getting too close to your kiln and firewood? Kill them. If allowed to, =
they will fry your electric kiln controls, so by all earth friendly =
means kill them. Do not hate them, kill them. Kill them with no =
malice, but kill them. This is the dance we play, so let's play our =
part. We may come back as fire ants and meet our untimely death at the =
hands of Janet Kaiser and a bottle of kerosene. But then again we might =
get some ice cream from Phil :)
-----Original Message-----
From: Leland G. Hall [mailto:b4thewheel@BENDNET.COM]
Sent: Saturday, November 09, 2002 11:07 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Fire ants in the wood pile ! Skip-to-Maloo...?
Hi Phil.
That was absolutly the most charming and lovely thing I've heard in a =
long
long time. About how to get along with the ants in the woodpile that
is...or ants in general for that matter. In fact how to just get along =
I
should think. Reminds me very much of how Tibetian Buddists, before
building an addition to their monastary, will spend days, weeks or =
however
long it takes, ever so carefully digging, one handfull at a time, up the
building site, so as to evacuate each and every earth worm that =
otherwise
would have been destroyed by the structure. Ah but that we all would =
stive
so dillegently to do no harm. One World. One. Just one.
Thanks.
Very Best Regards
Leland Hall
Before The Wheel Enterprises
_________________________________________________________________________=
_____
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at =
melpots@pclink.com.
Marta Matray Gloviczki on sun 10 nov 02
>
>http://ipmworld.umn.edu/chapters/lockley.htm
>
>http://www.ento.okstate.edu/fireants/ppt/
>
>http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~gilbert/research/fireants/faq.html
>
>http://www.antcolony.org/fire_ants.htm
taylor,
i changed my mind about the fire ants.
i am afraid that i wont be able to sleep
after checking these websites you gave us.
thanks for the information.
i am NOT going to give them ice cream if i ever
happen to meet them. i am going to run north
as fast as i can. pretty scary beasts!
now i wish the best of luck to merrie,
hope she`ll be able to destroy them
before her woodfiring!
be careful merrie!
marta
Hendrix, Taylor J. on sun 10 nov 02
Oh my! I almost forgot.
Just the other day I had slobbishly (I am a male after all) dropped my =
clay shirt and jeans on the bathroom floor. I thought I would use them =
the next day. Well, my dear wife yells from the bathroom at 6 in the =
morning, "Taylor, there's ants in your pants." She HATES fire ants. =
Well, after a quick toss into the shower and copious amounts of hot =
water, we proceeded to mop up the survivors with a mixture of water, =
dish soap, and rubbing alcohol. Get a spray bottle and pow. They had =
gotten into the house somehow (I have since found out how) and were =
harvesting the clay I guess. Strange.
Taylor in Waco, where he is no longer allowed to save his clay pants for =
another day :(
-----Original Message-----
From: Marta Matray Gloviczki [mailto:matraymarta@YAHOO.COM]
Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 6:16 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Fire ants in the wood pile ! Skip-to-Maloo...?
>
>http://ipmworld.umn.edu/chapters/lockley.htm
>
>http://www.ento.okstate.edu/fireants/ppt/
>
>http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~gilbert/research/fireants/faq.html
>
>http://www.antcolony.org/fire_ants.htm
taylor,
i changed my mind about the fire ants.
i am afraid that i wont be able to sleep
after checking these websites you gave us.
thanks for the information.
i am NOT going to give them ice cream if i ever
happen to meet them. i am going to run north
as fast as i can. pretty scary beasts!
now i wish the best of luck to merrie,
hope she`ll be able to destroy them
before her woodfiring!
be careful merrie!
marta
_________________________________________________________________________=
_____
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at =
melpots@pclink.com.
Carole Rishel on sun 10 nov 02
Yes, I respect fire ants a great deal - however in Texas they have very f=
ew (if any) natural enemies. The ones that hang out in my herb garden or=
by my shop or around the house get sent back to the Goddess for evolutio=
nary purposes! Blessed Be!
Carole Rishel
kallahcee@msn.com
Smithville, TX
=20
----- Original Message -----
From: Marta Matray Gloviczki
Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 5:56 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Fire ants in the wood pile ! Skip-to-Maloo...?
=20
oh my gosh, phil,
your post is such a nice reading, your fire ant story is wonderful!
i`m not sure i`d be able to do what you did, but if they (the ants) ever
come after me, i will certainly try my best...
i hope that merrie can take away her wood from the ants without
"going to war against them".
marta
Philip Poburka <> wrote:
>In general...
>
>A method may be 'in' as follows...
>
>Firstly, as you know, it is, in the immediate inter-species
>scheme of
>things, not 'your' Woodpile in their view...but rather you
>may at this point, be
>the interloper
>and agressor, interfereing with them, and with something as
>belongs to
>them...or, it depends upon 'how' you do so.
>
>The Woodpile is a feature in or of, or on, a Territory as
>belongs in some ways to them in so far as the use of the
>resources
>it has to it. AND they, bye some accounts are 'in', a
>Territory
>as belongs to you, as well.
>
>And 'quid-pro-quo' may have meaning in these kinds of
>matters...as, to allow them
>some regard and recompense for their troubles, if obliged
>to
>accomidate your interest in 'your' or 'their', or merely,
>truely,
>'the'...Woodpile...
>
>
>The method then, may be to remove one piece of Wood at a
>time...(which one tends to do anyway, more or less...I
>suppose...) and one may puff
>a little blow of Air as may be, or strike the
>piece of Wood's butt end just 'hard' enough,
>on an adjascent one, to dislodge the possible
>Hangers-on...if any, and if you do it correctly, they shall
>move away from you as you work, and it shall be thereby all
>the easier.
>
>They will understand something is happenning as they may
>easily accept and not worry on.
>
>And as the Wood is taken, and set far enough aside for them
>to
>ignore, it should go quickly enough, once you have the
>cadence of
>it...and...watch your feet as to avoid crushing or bruising
>of them, if they are near still.
>
>Be kind...
>
>Once you have gotten through the Pile, having got all the
>Wood thus free of them, or free from them...and set far
>enough aside for them to ignore...
>Before you begin in fact,
>get a little scoop of Ice-Cream or other, and set it there
>for 'em...make your thoughts clear, and let them know it is
>from 'you'...and 'for' them...'Ritz-Crackers' (which about
>all Creatures seem
>to like) and small seeds are favoured
>as well by many larger Ants...
>
>...'word' gets out...they have two things then in this
>particular matter to be
>considering the interest and import of...the
>arrival-presence of a curious food, (the
>presence IN both these 'events' of you,) and the perhaps
>none too compelling to them,
>mystery of the diminishing Woodpile...
>
>And...as they are accepting of how it is, that 'things'
>come-and-go, I would expect no remourse from them on
>account of it's absence once moved.
>
>That's what I'd do...
>
>"Ants"...
>
>They been here a long Time...and often, usually... it is us
>who are unwittingly 'in'...or on, their Territories...even
>as they may be found to be 'in' ours.
>Individual Colonies may persist decades I believe...maybe
>more...or in sucessions, as may be...
>
>Likely you'd set the Woodpile on, or near an entrance of
>their subterranian Home...so far as they know, it just
>happenned to appear there, and there are food-things,
>moisture related little fungi, mites, surfaces and
>trace-elements, exudae,
>and interesting things generally to and for them, in it's
>interstices and various of areas.
>
>It can upset them to have something of theirs messed
>with, if to do so, they are to be getting stepped on or
>hurt, as may
>be for 'reasons'
>as are likely outside their empathetic scope of diplomatic
>accomidations to aceed. They may become upset, and go into a
>'War' mode...
>
>If respectful of them, they will give no quarrel or defense.
>You may take the 'pile', and they will be okay with that.
>
>So...the less you step on them, or in any way hurt them, the
>easier it shall be.
>
>I have managed well in situations as you describe...as well
>with Bees, Wasps and Hornets and the like...but it
>is important to be careful with your feet, and to be tender
>to them. Be aware of them, and of their interests in the
>matter.
>
>One may get along with them just fine, and....it is not hard
>to
>do so.
>
>Give them something defferential to them, and respect them,
>and you can do this without getting bit, or too, you can get
>the living daylights bit out of you, if you do not respect
>them.
>
>Which I think...is fair-enough..!
>
>Ants have many interests, beyond the immediate of food and
>local topographies. They are interested in Geo-magnetic,
>Barometric and Climatic matters generally, and the nuances
>of them, and in various subtle and other energies
>of the Earth. Many things...
>
>I like them...
>
>There have been some times when I have bumbled into chores,
>or
>moveing things as had many angry Ants getting on me, I had
>been stepping on them, not noticing what I was doing, and I
>had just not
>been paying attention...so I payed for my rudeness to them.
>
>I had some hundreds, or maybe many
>hundreds of them biting me, to where I could taste quite
>strongly, the formic acid in my exhalations and in my
>saliva for some while after. Their little straining bodies
>intently biteing me
>all over my arms and inside my trouser legs. Welts comeing
>up...all that zig-zag of nerve jagged impulses and little
>flashes of pain amid a larger symphony of it.
>
>They have sometimes the elected co-ordination to bite nearly
>all at once, too, having been getting into position on one.
>Yikes!
>
>I just backed away a little ways, and kept my thoughts
>humble and apologetic to them...and made sure I was not
>stepping on any of them...and did nothing else.
>Just stood
>with my Arms out away from my body, trying not to trap any
>of them in my clothes.
>I made, would make,
>no effort to brush them off my Arms or to resist. That one
>time, I
>just had an old sleeveless 'tee' shirt and trousers
>on...bare feet too...felt like I was on fire...with ice
>picks hiting me all over.
>
>...after a little while they stopped biteing, and in their
>numbers and the odd stragglers, crawled off of me and back
>to whatever they'd been doing. The mood shifted...Some took
>a while to struggle
>their deeply sunk mandibles dislodged...It took a little
>while, but
>for me it was interesting, and felt like the polite thing
>for me to
>do. A 'closed cycle'...they had made their 'point', and I
>conceeded. I was contrite.
>
>I said "...excuse me please...I am sorry!"...and left 'em be
>for a while...bring them
>somethings as to eat...let them know I was aware of them,
>and interested IN them...
>They were a fiece
>bunch these ones were...others had stepped on them often.
>
>They never hold grudges.
>
>I came back more 'careful'...payed attention to when they
>were
>on these items, on the ground, and when they were not...had
>no troubles, and
>gave none either. Made friends with 'em...
>
>Got the stuff moved...gave them little things to eat...said
>'Hello' to them...
>
>Life goes on...
>
>
>Phil
>Las Vegas
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