Weather Forecast vs Fire Ants

[Radio]

Some say various bugs and critters can predict the long term weather.

I have noted the fire ant mounds in our neighborhood (hundreds of them) are huge, meaning the nest goes deep, and the sides are unusually steep this year.

I figure they are going deep to avoid cold, and put steep sides on the mound to protect against rain.

Going to be a colder, wetter winter according to the ants and some other experts I have heard on TV. What have you guys heard?

[NN5I]

Yes, the arthropodan societies have advanced the science and lore of meteorology beyond anything known to us mere primates.

There may be something to read in the size of the anthills, but I would suppose they're larger because there are more ants, not because those ants are smarter.

As for the steepness of the anthill slopes, it depends only upon the angle of repose of the stuff the anthills are made of. If they're steeper, it's probably because the dirt is wetter, which in turn could be either (1) because the weather has been wetter, or (2) because, there being more ants, they had to dig deeper and pulled out wetter soil.

But what do I know? I'm a mere Homo Sapiens and surely can't match the intellect of myrmicine or formicine critters like Solenopsis Invicta and his cousins.

Anyway, I think your observations show only that nobody has been poisoning the darned things.

Here's an interesting article about them.

[Radio]

Then there is this article from NOAA that supports the fire ants prediction for a colder and wetter winter here in the south.

Remember our ant sample is localized to points just south of Atlanta. Points north and west will have to inquire of their own ants. The article covers the entire USA. Much of the USA will experience a warmer winter, but not here, according to NOAA.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories...eroutlook.html

We'll see who is right, my interpretation of the ants, NOAA, or neither.

[wa8yxm]

One of the things Global Warming deniers cite is how cold our winters have been lately.

Sadly cold winters are a sign, believe it or not, of global warming.

[N3LYT]

Part of my family is very good at guessing how cold the winter is going to be up here in the north. When asked how they know, "The white guys put up a lot of fire wood".

[NN5I]

Me, my ants don't know nuthin. I'd ask my uncles instead, but the last one died a half century ago. Come to think, so did my aunts and, I think, my first cousins too -- more than 50 of them. I had a lot of first cousins.

[ke0me]

I use organic sensor arrays to forecast the weather.
If I go outside and if I feel; cold, I drive south until it doesn't feel cold anymore.

[NN5I]

Originally Posted by ke0me

I use organic sensor arrays to forecast the weather.
If I go outside and if I feel; cold, I drive south until it doesn't feel cold anymore.

I had a friend in Australia who tried that. He said it didn't work worth a flip.

[Radio]

And then there is the weather stick

http://www.theweatherstick.com/

Not to be confused with the weather rope.

[electricflyer]

I have my own weather stick and I can tell you the weather was always bad every time I checked.

[NN5I]

Originally Posted by Radio

And then there is the weather stick

Gives new meaning to the statement, "You can take this weather and stick it."

[Radio]

Well, the ants have it right so far as the rain is concerned, rain so hard it washed away roads in this area.

Cold front moving in next few days... let's see if they get the temperature right as well.

[Radio]

Got down to 18 deg this morning, and it's still early in the winter.

Guess they're right about that, too.

Too bad they were wrong about the Amdro!

[W9WLS]

Went out this morning at 06:00 , checked the "Weather Rock" , couldn't find it for the "WHITE STUFF" until I stubbed my toe on it .
18 F here this morning and about 1" of snow.

Have I told Y'all lately ? "I'm Tired Of Winter" !

[Radio]

Originally Posted by W9WLS

Have I told Y'all lately ? "I'm Tired Of Winter" !

Already?