We saw the Sun today – the new ant year has begun! In addition we observed a fly flying. We started such a swarm in the day before yesterday that the nest temperature started to increase. Finally our nest heating and the tender sunshine melted the snow away on the top of our nest mound.

Snow still prevents us from collecting food. Fortunately our storage workers are still filled with the food they ate last autumn. They can feed us with mouth-to-mouth technique. When the snow finally melts away around our nest, we can go and hunt prey for hungry queen and drone larvae. New workers will be reared in summer when there is plenty of food.

Now we are eagerly waiting for the retreat of snow. I wish we could go and collect new needles to our nest mound, which has slightly collapsed during the winter. The most eager workers are walking on the snow, but they still grow numb with cold and they soon have to return home.

Needle master 8654
Wood ant from Ruissalo, Turku

Related project:

Antspotting in Turku