Blowin' in the wind

[Jim Taylor]

Anne:

Glad to hear you and yours made it through Georges w/o loss of body parts.
As one who is married to a woman allergic to formic acid (the original ant
acid), I am intrigued by your statement that the white-footed ant has
replaced the fire ant at your digs.   Reckon where can I get some?

Jim Taylor
Savannah, Ga.
-----Original Message-----
From: Anne Kilmer <viceroy at GATE.NET>
To: Entomology Discussion List <ENTOMO-L at LISTSERV.UOGUELPH.CA>;
LKalber/SEyman <kalbl at GATE.NET>; Leps List <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>; Tom
Weissling <weevil at ufl.edu>
Date: Saturday, September 26, 1998 10:04 AM
Subject: Blowin' in the wind


>The white-footed ants are swarming, the evening air full of winged
>alates.
> Hurricane Georges has, without question, picked up a generous supply of
>them and will be spreading them up the coast of Florida, and across the
>gulf. Those winds at the edges are a brilliant insect delivery system.
> Dr. Tom Weissman would undoubtedly appreciate it if you folks upwind of
>South Florida would drop by his web page
>http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/PestAlert/tjw-0819.htm
>
>familiarize yourselves with this ant and pass the word to extension
>agents and local gardeners that they might like to watch for it.
>I am not proposing a pogrom; as far as I am concerned this is a
>comparatively well-behaved ant, replacing the fire ant in my garden.
>It does, however, absolutely change the insect population where it is
>established. Whether for the better or the worse is unproved.
>However, in areas where native ants still exist, you might at least like
>to see it coming.
>I think this ant probably tends caterpillars as well as other
>honeydew-producing insects, and harvests those that don't put out.
>I have not noticed a change in the butterflies in my garden.
>They did take yesterday off, though, except for the zebra longwings, and
>those were careful.
>A rich feast of information for Tom, please.
>Thanks
>Anne Kilmer
>1424 Lake Bass Dr.
>Lake Worth, FL 33461
>USA
>more information:
>http://www.pctonline.com/inetpubpct/july98/f70198d.htm
>