Army of the Ants

A small group made their way on a slightly longer jog this week, to help at Stargarallot community garden. It was still quite warm considering the slight rain, in fact the rain helped to keep us cool - goodgymers don't let rain stop them.

Tonight's task - to help tidy up the pathways, plants had found their way through and were growing a lot now. Plenty of time to chat about movies and what we wanted to get out and see. Of course, Barbie and Oppenheimer were mentioned. Michael made sure to let people know about the red ants, they had developed a taste for Michael in particular over the years.

Learning Time

The Red ant is commonly found under stones and logs in the garden, and also in soil and lawns. It is active throughout the year, but winged adults swarm in late summer during hot and humid weather; these 'flying ants' mate and eventually disperse to form new colonies.

Did you know? Red ant workers have a surprisingly painful sting and will attack if disturbed.

Living up to its name, the Red ant has a reddish-brown body and a darker head. It is a medium-sized ant.

Our gardens are a vital resource for wildlife, providing corridors of green space between open countryside, allowing species to move about. In fact, the UK's gardens provide more space for nature than all the National Nature Reserves put together. So why not try planting native plants and trees to entice birds, mammals and invertebrates into your backyard?