Red Harvester Ants

Text and Photos by Laurie Sheppard

Ants! They get into your pantry. They invite themselves to your picnics. Some of them can chew through a wood framed house. Others sting!! What’s to like about an ant?? Well, maybe if it was a mostly peaceful ant that didn’t enter homes, chew on wood, or sting when you get near their nest, you could like it. The Red Harvester Ant is that sort of ant.

Although Red Harvester Ants look formidable because of their size and wasp-like appearance, they are communal seed-eaters that mostly keep to their own business. If you have walked the Haller Haven Trail, at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge,  out to Dead Woman Pond, you have passed a broad, flat nest of Red Harvester Ants that stretches a few feet across. They are the large, busy, red ants that never stop moving as you pass. They are capable of delivering a painful bite if threatened, but they are not aggressive and are generally reluctant to do so.

Red Harvester Ants are a favorite food source for the Texas Horned Lizard and they are in constant competition for food and territory with other ants such as the invasive Fire Ant. Sometimes Red Harvester Ant nests are created in risky areas and do not survive. Often, that is because of human actions, either intentional or accidental. Red Harvester Ant colonies have been declining in recent years and that decline has impacted other native species.

Each underground Red Harvester Ant nest is composed of many chambers connected by labyrinthine tunnels that have been excavated by members of the colony. A mature nest can reach depths of over 8 feet and is several feet across. Within the nest, the colony consists of a single queen, who can live for 15-20 years, and thousands of female worker ants. Only the queen can reproduce and she is well cared for by the others, for her death signals the end of the colony.

For the first four to five years, a new queen produces only sterile female worker ants. These ants perform the tasks that ensure the success of the nest: foraging for seeds, maintenance and excavation of the physical infrastructure, caring for the queen and her larvae, and defense of the nest. When the colony reaches about 10,000 members, the queen produces a small number of males and fertile females. She will do this once per year for the remainder of her life.

These unique ants, called alates, have wings that will carry them away from the nest to an aggregation site. The site is created when a few males mark a location with specialized pheromones that trigger sexual behavior. These pheromones attract other males, who add more pheromones, and also draw females to the site. There, alates from many nests engage in a mating ritual that will result in new colonies being formed. Each female mates with multiple males of separate lineages, then flies to a suitable spot to establish her own nest. She digs down several inches and produces her first larvae, which become the nest’s original worker ants. The workers excavate the nest and gather food for their colony before moving deep underground for the winter.

In spring, the work continues. Scouts leave the nest each morning to look for food sources, leaving a trail of pheromones for the foragers to follow. The ants in the nest appear to have a sense of time. If a scout comes back too quickly, the forager ants sense danger and ignore that route. If a scout takes too long to return with seeds, then perhaps foraging will expend more energy than the value of the seeds they may collect. The foragers are therefore selective in the trails they follow. The work of these ants benefits the ecosystem by scattering some of the seeds they gather as they return to the nest. Meanwhile, excavation and nest cleaning are constant.

It’s easy to think that the frenetic pace of the ants lacks purpose, but as you watch individual ants marching out of the nest carrying staggering loads or returning to the nest dragging stalks heavy with seeds, you realize what an amazing society this is. Ants can carry up to 20 times their body weight. For every ant you see, there are several others that are working in the total darkness below the surface. Each ant will defend the nest to her death when called upon. Next time you see a Red Harvester Ant nest, stop and spend a few minutes getting to know them.

NOTE: Laurie Sheppard is a regular volunteer at Hagerman NWR and frequent contributor to the FOH Blog. She is a Texas Master Naturalist, member of the Blackland Prairie Chapter.

Hummingbirds

Text and Photo by Renny S.Gehman

A blur, a whir—a hummingbird! Hummers are back at our Texas feeders after wintering in Mexico. Their arrival is eagerly anticipated and greatly enjoyed—almost everyone gets a thrill when they spot one of these tiny creatures. Here in North Texas that usually happens around April 1st and mine were right on time.  

In our part of Texas the most common hummingbird in our garden is the ruby-throated, although this year I’ve been blessed with a visiting black-chinned male—who was nice enough to perch on a nearby bush long enough for me to see the purple throat which distinguishes it from the other visitors at my window feeder. Although in some lights, ruby throats and black chins can look similar, the most obvious distinguishing mark is their throat color: either red or purple. Both can look black in some lights! Since their females are so similar, I just assume that the female I’m also seeing is actually more than one!

Part of our fascination with hummers happens because of both their small size and swift speed. A hummingbird—any of the 18 species found in the U.S.—is the smallest bird, but can reach speeds equal to geese, accelerating to 60 mph from a standing start in less than three feet! No other species matches their flying skill—they can hover, fly up or down, and also backwards because of their extremely large breast muscles, which move their wings in a figure-8 pattern unique among birds.

With their high energy output, hummingbirds must eat every ten to fifteen minutes—a reason why they’re such regular visitors at our feeders. In fact, because of their energy requirements, hummers go into “torpor” or a reduced energy state at night when their heart beat slows, body temperature drops and they cannot move. But these little birds still use so much energy at rest, it is comparable to the amount a human uses during vigorous exercise.

The best way to help these high-energy flyers is to provide them with multiple food sources. Feeders are one food source humans can provide, but we need to remember some important guidelines:

• Red dye is not necessary—and may actually be harmful!
• Always boil your water.
• Do not use honey—use refined white sugar. Honey promotes dangerous fungal growth.
• Clean your feeders regularly—every few days, or even daily in hot weather—to avoid harmful fungal growth.

For detailed instructions, with amounts and proportions, follow this link to the Audubon Society’s website: http://www.audubon.org/news/how-make-hummingbird-nectar

Besides providing feeders, you can choose garden plants, like sage, honeysuckle and lantana, which attract hummingbirds—and often butterflies, as well. Some suggestions on planting a hummingbird garden are available in the Texas Parks and Wildlife brochure. To access online, follow this link: https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_w7000_1173.pdf.

Hummingbirds are fun; I’m never sure if I enjoy their iridescent colors, their acrobatic flying or their territorial squabbles more. They pack a lot of entertainment in a small package—and certainly demonstrate the truth of the familiar adage, Little, but Oh, my!

Ed Note: At Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, visitors can enjoy Ruby-throated and occasional Black-chinned hummers at the feeder outside the Visitor Center and in the Butterfly Garden!

From the Nature Nook Bookshelf - Field Guides to Rocks and Minerals

Field Guides to Rocks and Minerals

Book Review by Jean Flick

The marvelous geodes in the Nature Nook and the large decorative crystal in the butterfly garden are both favorites of children visiting Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.  Kids know:  rocks are fun!!   Beyond fun, Rachel M. Barker, with the US Geologic Survey (USGS) reminds us that rocks “tell the story of the Earth.”

Most rocks at the Earth’s surface are formed from only 8 elements (oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium), but these elements are combined in various ways to make rocks that are very different.  Geologists classify rocks into the three major groups (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic), according to the major Earth processes that formed them (USGS website).  HNWR is located where the gently rolling black land prairies meet the more hilly terrain of the eastern cross timbers, providing us a glimpse into the geologic footprint that began millions of years ago when northern Texas was covered by a huge, warm, shallow sea.

               

There are three different rock and mineral field guides available in the HNWR Nature Nook.  Each offers unique features for the beginning or experienced geologist to explore and learn about a wide variety of geologic phenomena.  As you wander the refuge, by car or foot, be sure to take a rock and mineral field guide with you and discover more about “the story of the Earth” right here in our corner of that Earth.

The National Geographic Pocket Guide:  Rocks and Minerals of North America by Sarah Garlick.

This compact field guide, published in 2014 by the National Geographic Society, is lightweight and will fit easily in a backpack, pocket, or fanny pack.   The guide features 160 geologic forms and phenomena and is organized into the categories of minerals, rocks, fossils, and structures and landforms.  Each page contains high-quality photos of individual specimens for close-up comparison and photos of larger formations that might be viewed from a trail or road.  Key facts are presented in an interesting manner, making this an excellent guide for a family outing that will include a look at geologic features.

Use as a first guide for young and old to share in the discovery of the wonders of geology.

Smithsonian Nature Guide:  Rocks and Minerals by Ronald Louis Bonewitz

This guide, published by DK Publishing (first American edition 2012), offers full-page profiles of 270 rocks and minerals.  Each profile includes a large photo of each specimen, along with small photos of variants and a concise description of key features.  The guide begins with general information about minerals, crystals, gems, and rocks and includes several pages of helpful hints for beginning collectors.  At 350 pages, this guide is still small and light enough to carry in a backpack, but loaded with large photos for easy identification.

Use to delve more deeply into the world of rocks and minerals and as a reference when beginning your own rock collection.

Peterson Field Guides:  Rocks and Minerals by Frederick H. Pough

This fifth edition, published by Houghton-Mifflin Co. in 1988, offers more in-depth information.  Photos of individual specimens, as well as various landforms, are grouped together in the middle of the book for convenience in identification and comparison.  Individual rocks, minerals, and other geologic phenomena are discussed in greater depth with comprehensive information on each specimen or topic.  At almost 400 pages, the guide packs in a wealth of information but is still well-sized to be carried in a backpack.

Use to glean the most in-depth information when learning about geologic specimens.

Photo Collage - Rocks at HNWR, by Jean Flick

The Nature Nook is run by Friends of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.  All proceeds are used for projects and activities at HNWR. 

American Basketflower, April Plant of the Month

Centaurea americana - American Basketflower

By Sharon Parrish

American Basket Flower, sometimes called Shaving Brush or Straw-hat, is in the Sunflower family and the only genus native to North America.   It is found in several states in southwest and north central US, as well as New York and South Carolina.  The plant starts growing in late winter with blooming periods from May to July or August.

American Basketflower stands two to five feet high with two-three inch wide showy blooms that are generally lavender in color, with creamy centers, and have a honey fragrance.  The height of the plant is largely dependent on soil conditions and rainfall.   The plant can grow in sand, loam or clay and is found along roadsides, meadows, prairies and farmed or overgrazed fields. It grows best in full sun, and if enough land area is available, can be found in large colonies. 

This annual reseeds easily and has low water requirements.  Stems are enlarged below the head and sport narrow simple leaves that attach directly to the stem.  The leaves are smooth with no teeth and no hairs.  The petals that make up the plant head are held by a basket weave phyllary, appearing as a bloom in a basket (hence the name). Look for it soon in the Butterfly Garden at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and in the wild there also.

Nectar from the blooms is high in sugar and amino acids, and pollen is high in protein.  The plant attracts hummingbirds, songbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators.  Game and songbirds especially nourish on the seeds, shown below,  that are relatively large with excellent nutritional value.   American Basketflower is not grazed by wildlife or livestock and has no diseases or pests.   The plant is generally tolerant of floods, droughts and freezing temperatures.

A Field Guide to Wildflowers, Trees and Shrubs of Texas, Delena Tull and George Oxford Miller, 1991

Range Plants of North Central Texas, Ricky J. Linex, 2014

Native American Seeds, www.seedsource.com, 2015

Note: Sharon Parrish is a Texas Master Naturalist, a Butterfly Garden Docent at HNWR and regularly volunteers in the Visitor Center there also.