Word for word from an elementary school text book: Up: Away from the center of the Earth. Down: Towards the center of the Earth.
The realization that a concept could be described so simply and clearly was like a punch to the brain. My first encounter with profundity. Kid style, lol.
The images and the conclusions will remain with her for many years. A moment of intense concentration. Only the very young use it well. It is one facet of childhood that we lose that might make adulthood much smoother.
We had ants in the basement. If you want to find the nest and apply very localized “control”, you need to take a the best part of an hour and observe their meanderings like the young girl is doing.
Worldwide all insect species are rapidly declining in population, and their ranges are contracting. Carefully done studies show 75% declines over the past 20 years. Bird species that primarily eat insects are similarly declining. There are no quantitative studies of ant populations, but I have observed a marked decrease in the number of ant hills in habitat that I’ve watched for years. Insects are the base of the food chain for pretty much everything, they pollinate food crops on which we humans depend, they recycle plant and animal waste, and they (ants in particular) maintain soil fertility and composition. When I was a youngster in the late 1940s, we got to watch red ants vs black ants wars that extended over long distances and that lasted for days. Haven’t seen that for years. Glad the girl is getting to appreciate the fascination of (vanishing) insects.
A few days ago I watched a spider eat a fly that was bigger than the spider. It took about 40 minutes and either it was fascination or I couldn’t think of anything else to do. Isolation does make the trivial seem fascinating.
El-Kabong almost 4 years ago
Word for word from an elementary school text book: Up: Away from the center of the Earth. Down: Towards the center of the Earth.
The realization that a concept could be described so simply and clearly was like a punch to the brain. My first encounter with profundity. Kid style, lol.
Kind&Kinder almost 4 years ago
“To see the world in Formicidae! (apologies to William Blake)
jpayne4040 almost 4 years ago
I agree. Ants are fascinating. However, I would rather study them in a book.
e.groves almost 4 years ago
Draw a chalk circle around an ant. See what happens.
Markov Da Robot almost 4 years ago
Like I said a few days ago, who is this girl. I seem to not know her.
sandpiper almost 4 years ago
The images and the conclusions will remain with her for many years. A moment of intense concentration. Only the very young use it well. It is one facet of childhood that we lose that might make adulthood much smoother.
cervelo almost 4 years ago
We had ants in the basement. If you want to find the nest and apply very localized “control”, you need to take a the best part of an hour and observe their meanderings like the young girl is doing.
The Legend of Brandon Sawyer Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Get a magnifying glass things will really takeoff then
Whatcouldgowrong almost 4 years ago
Worldwide all insect species are rapidly declining in population, and their ranges are contracting. Carefully done studies show 75% declines over the past 20 years. Bird species that primarily eat insects are similarly declining. There are no quantitative studies of ant populations, but I have observed a marked decrease in the number of ant hills in habitat that I’ve watched for years. Insects are the base of the food chain for pretty much everything, they pollinate food crops on which we humans depend, they recycle plant and animal waste, and they (ants in particular) maintain soil fertility and composition. When I was a youngster in the late 1940s, we got to watch red ants vs black ants wars that extended over long distances and that lasted for days. Haven’t seen that for years. Glad the girl is getting to appreciate the fascination of (vanishing) insects.
Yakety Sax almost 4 years ago
Oh, to have the time and youth to simply stop and watch insects creep and crawl……..
Dr. Whom almost 4 years ago
Note that “what’s up” and “what’s down” have the same colloquial meaning.
skippygddss almost 4 years ago
What’s up?A directional preposition.
Dewey Premium Member almost 4 years ago
A few days ago I watched a spider eat a fly that was bigger than the spider. It took about 40 minutes and either it was fascination or I couldn’t think of anything else to do. Isolation does make the trivial seem fascinating.
Concretionist almost 4 years ago
Ant lines are kind of fun to follow. But bee flights can lead you to honey!