STOCKING FOOD

 STOCKING FOOD

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

11/VII/2024

 

Since the first monsoon downpour, there has been a flurry of activity here. Chameleons are mating. Birds have made their nests and laid eggs again. Canopies of trees have turned lush green. Slugs have reappeared on the scene. Basically, there are renewed signs of life and activity.

Underground species of insects have surfaced. White ants are abundant here but are still in hibernation. Even the ones which come out to fly have not taken flight yet. I dread their appearance as they destroy plant life. Grand old trees have died because their roots were eaten by white ants.

Hope they do not attack new trees we have planted. Their colonies would still exist down under. They say, unless the queen is taken care of, destroying a white ant colony is next to impossible. Wish us luck.

What caught my attention was an ‘Army of Ants’ marching up and down the garden walkway. They were parading along in a straight line along the ledge of stones laid besides the walking path.

Surprisingly, they were just marching from one end of the garden and back. Generally, one sees food in their pincers. Today, they all were ‘empty clawed’. The reason was eluding me.

We all are aware of ‘winter stocking’ in the army. All posts are stocked with supplies and fuel during the months when the passes open and before they close due to snow. Every possible vehicle, aircraft, porter and pony is used to ferry material to last the complete winter and beyond. Ants do the same.

They carry all sorts of biodegradable material into their tunnels and let it ferment for fungus to grow. That becomes their food during lean months. Rainy season being one. Their young ones too are fed the diet growing on Mold.

Winters are harsh in the deserts. Monsoon is a little sprinkle. Clouds gather, threaten to drop their load, but invariably give a ditch. Unlike our service aircrafts which off loaded whatever they carried with the help of parachutes. Even if the package drifted into ravines and areas which made it impossible to recover. Luck and wind had to be in your favour.

Imagine MOH (Meat on Hoof) invariably sheep, straight from the desert would be air dropped in the high altitude desert and land with a severe cold and running nose. Instead of eating it, we would take time treating it with all human medicines like PCM, including cough syrup mixed in its drinking water, which she would enjoy being sweet, till she was declared fit by the nursing assistant to be eaten.

This army of black ants were in two sizes, big & very big ones. The latter were about an inch long. Their pincers gave them a creepy look. Imagine, your skin getting pierced with those nasty clippers. They hurt and sting badly. The effect lasts for quite some time with swelling and pain.

Today, I watched them go up and down trailing each other, in full discipline, without breaking their boundaries, meeting & greeting each other as they passed, conveying some message which we humans cannot understand.

Are they self disciplined? Do they have a ‘Discipline Captain’ in each colony? Or have they understood that if one breaks the line, the complete traffic can get jammed? Point to ponder, Isn’t it? Thank you ants for this great lesson of life. We humans can only be disciplined by policing and Danda it seems.

Probably, they inform each about the location of food and obstacles and arrangements to cross them. There could be route changes on the way which the fresh ants need to be warned about. These are all my conjectures. I will ask one ant for the details someday of what they talk and convey to each other.

It struck me to find out where their colony was. One had to trace the entrance to their nest. It was simple. The marching contingent would automatically lead you to their gateway. Without disturbing what they were doing and keeping a safe distance from their jaws and claws, I followed them in one direction.

Right at the entrance to the garden, there are steps. In between the flight of steps was their nest. I could confirm it as there was a pile of mud which had been collected at its mouth. These ants keep their nests clean for the passage of air and ease of move within their shelter. Any foreign object and extra bit of mud is thrown out to make a windbreaker infront of their colony gate.

This was enough for the day. A few clicks and I heard my wife call me for a cup of tea. Why was this Army of ants not stocking food? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS