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oh gosh and now someone else has landed on my knee. “Do you remember bee?” she asked.

I didn’t expect this walk alone in the woods to be such a social event. Who will show up next?!

Now I’ve discovered this baby spider in my sweater. Ballooning is dangerous little one!

Someone was passed out on the lichen covered tree stump. I thought this was a good neighborhood.

Finally someone I recognize at this crazy party! A big beautiful field ant! Though she was missing a leg and clearly far from her colony. They have probably sealed the entrance for the winter by now. She’s an older worker. Sometimes they wander far from the nest in their twilight days as if to see a little bit of the world before they die. (Formica pallidefulva I think)

She's going on one last journey further from home than ever before, she feels brave in her old age, the risks are high, but maybe she can discover a new source of aphids or something big that will change the future of her colony.

If not at least she'll find out what lies beyond the great flat rocks.

@futurebird
I want to "like" and appreciate your ant posts. Truly I do - I understand how interesting they are. But I just can't bring myself to do it!

@futurebird
That's my main problem - formic acid causes me hives!