Ant-ics

I've heard from the Bohart. Monday, Thursday and their bretheren (sisteren?) are camponutus essegi, better known as carpenter ants. Here's what Steve Heydon at the Bohart had to say about them:

"Carpenter ants are found in houses and can be a pest since they hollow out wood to make themselves a home. You should do your best to determine if the ants are coming in from the inside or if they are living in your house since they can nest either place. When you look outside, you need to check dead wood, stacked boards, firewood, etc. Going around with a flashlight in the early part of the night might help. Many ants are nocturnal."

So far, I haven't done any flashlight hunts. But given their random and singular appearance in my house, and then only on my computer table, I have a feeling that these babies may be strays from the trees around my house, lost and trying to find their way home (see the link above). (Another one showed up last evening, again as I was sitting here typing away; I saw not from whence it came.)

So I've satisfied my curiosity, but I'm kind of let down. I think I liked it better when Monday and Thursday didn't have any other name. I'll have to be content now with the mystery of just how the heck they manage to appear. My landlord may be less thrilled with the whole thing, but I guess I should inform him . . .