Ant Graveyard

Gary was excited to find an ant graveyard in the garage.

I, personally, had no idea ants even had grayeyards. When I came home on the day that Gary made this discovery, I got an education on ant funerals.

1. Ant dies.
2. Ant releases oleic acid.
3. Other ants smell it.
4. Mob of ants pick up the ant and transport it to the ant graveyard. Our house has two, both in the garage.

The other ant graveyard is under the car. Friend #3 asked if they were segregated by religion.

Here is a close up of the same graveyard.

You can get a nice overview here. Other links answer the question, “What happens if you spray a live ant with oleic acid,” and the answer is that the ant mob inisists he is dead and drag him off over the smelly ant’s protests.

Now that I look at that photo, it occurs to me that looks a lot like potting soil. Time to get the jeweler’s loupe and take it out to the garage.

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Moments later. Well, damnit. It IS potting soil.

Friend #3 did ask what would happen if I sprayed oleic acid on Gary.