GC38J8D Allegheny Mound Ants (Traditional Cache) in New Jersey, United States created by scrapes

GC38J8D ▼

A cache by scrapes Message this owner

Hidden : 11/30/2011

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

The hide is in a part of the park that is new to me. While walking to the trail I stopped to read the Parks posting at the trail head and saw the info on the mound ant. The ant is native to Turkey Swamp and New Jersey. It plays a role in the break down of plant matter and control of other insects. I didn't see any mounds near GZ. The park info warns to keep pets and children off the mounds. Its a simple lock-n-lock hide. Enjoy the cache.

According to the University of Rhode Island, the allegheny mound ant is a native species that can be found along the Atlantic coast from Nova Scotia, Canada to Georgia. The most conspicuous feature of this species is the large mound that is built. These are accumulations of soil brought to the surface as the ants excavate burrows and chambers that extend deep into the ground. A 5 month-old mound can be about 2 feet wide and 8 inches tall, within two years, mounds can be up to 3 feet tall. In infested areas, mounds tend to be built in pastures that are grazed regularly and mowed infrequently. They also can become pests in Christmas tree plantings, nurseries, and turf. Mound-building is not the only negative aspect of these ants. They inject formic acid into plants and vegetation near the mound. Small trees and shrubs within 40 to 50 feet of large mounds can be killed. Studies in West Virginia showed that 2 to 5 year-old trees near large mounds are especially susceptible to damage but trees up to 8 feet tall could be killed. If the ants become established in lawns, they can kill the grass around the mound and their foraging activity can may work or play in the area very unpleasant. They will bite if the colony is disturbed. Numbers of mound ants can increase rapidly. The life cycle from egg to adult ranges from 2 to 3-1/3 months, depending primarily on temperature. Eggs are present during the spring and early summer and the white legless larvae are cared for by workers in galleries in the soil. These tunnels may go down 3 feet into the soil and extend up to 4 feet out from the mound. A process of "budding" results in formation of new mounds as the ants spread out from the original mound. Most new colonies develop in late May and early June. General population sizes associated with mound diameter are: * 6" to 18"- 500 to 3,000 ants * 18" to 36" - 1,000 to 6,000 ants * 36" to 60" - 3,000 to 10,000 ants The ant population at a Maryland study site was estimated at 1,200,000 per acre- or about 27 per square foot. Mound ants feed on most any type of small insect or arthropod that they can find as they forage or hunt over the ground. In addition to this protein source, the ants collect the carbohydrate-rich "honey dew" secretions from sapsucking insects such as aphids and leafhoppers. They rarely enter homes or buildings in search of food.

Central Jersey Geocaching