[at-l] Trail Maintenance, Ant-Style

[Nina Baxley <infpeace@yahoo.com>]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to let y'all know that I survived a
harrowing weekend hiking over the wild and challenging
terrain of central Louisiana's Wild Azalea Trail. OK,
so it wasn't that harrowing! There were seven of us,
and most of us didn't know each other until we met at
the trail. We got together through the Louisiana
Hiking Club, which a couple of friends and I started
up last February, and which now has over 60 members
(woo hoo!). The 30-mile Wild Azalea Trail isn't
particularly beautiful (some parts are pretty, but I'm
sure it doesn't compare to what they have on the AT
and out west), but it's just about all we have in the
way of established trails.

Anyway, I won't bore y'all with a trip report, but I
did want to tell y'all about the ant trails. This was
so cool. We were walking along the Wild Azalea Trail,
and one guy pointed to a tiny trail running alongside
our trail. It was about three inches in width and ran
alongside our trail for several thousand feet.

Rodney (the guy that pointed this out) explained to us
that ants had built that trail. At first we were like,
"Yeah, right!" As we looked more closely yhe miniature
trail, which was strewn with bits and pieces of
leaves, we saw the ants. The little trail led back to
this piece of land on side of the Wild Azalea Trail
that is covered with tall, cylindrical ant
communities, an area we had often marveled at. Rodney
explained that the ants were leaf-cutting ants that
haul the leaves back along their trail to their nests,
where they culture/farm the leaves for mold, which
they eat as food. After researching it a bit, we found
out today that the ants even clear the trail so that
they can travel a little easier, and that they have
soldiers guarding the trail to protect the workers
from attack by ant-eating creatures. Also, one size of
ant cuts the parts of the leaves off the plant,
another size carries the leaf, a third size cleans the
leaf as it is being carried back to the nest, and
others work the leaf in to fungus material while
others take care of the pupa and larva. Pretty cool,
huh? Have y'all ever seen these ant trails? Does
anyone know more about them?

I just want to go back to the Wild Azalea Trail next
weekend-I know I could sit and watch the ants going
back and forth for hours. Louisiana's trails don't
take you to outstanding, panoramic views, but it goes
to show that you can find endless fascination in
nature once you learn how to look for it! I have
walked that trail probably 20 times in the last year,
and, while I have noticed the flowers, the trees, and
the beauty of the creek running along the left side of
the trail, I never noticed the tiny trail running
along the right side. Amazing.

Oh well, just thought I'd share!

Nina
ME > GA 2000
(245 more days!)

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