Ant Farm Surprise!

So months ago, Tucker got an ant farm at a garage sale. He loves bugs, and thought it would be a fun way to collect the ants from the yard. Unfortunately, the ants around us, are so small, they fit out the air holes of the farm… Therefore, making the farm defunct.
We read the instruction manual that came with the farm, and Tucker was pleased to find out, you could order Harvester Ants that would come in the mail.
Tucker was thrilled. As I read on, I read about the Harvester Ants. Do not Touch them with your skin, they can cause serious allergic reactions, if you have been bitten, and are having an allergic reaction, seek medical attention. I was not thrilled.
We ordered them, and after 6 weeks of waiting, they arrived. Dead. I hate to admit this, but I was secretly a little relieved. But Tucker was sad. So…
We called the company, got new ones in 3 days. Again, I was still not thrilled, how did we wait 6 weeks, then they arrived shortly in 3 days?
I read the directions again skipping over the allergic biting part, to find the best way to put them in the farm.
The instructions stated:
Put them in the fridge for 10 minutes (to slow them down) then use a paper funnel to place them in the farm.
Okay. I could do that.
But it wasn’t that simple. After the fridge time, and the paper funnel ready, we began to poor them in. But instead of going inside, they started climbing up the edges towards us. No matter how hard I thumped the funnel, or shook it, they were all still climbing the wrong direction. I was getting frantic, and began to thump harder. They were about out of the funnel, what was I to do. I crumpled the top, and began to shake them frantically into the farm.
A few went in, and a few went on our counter, and began to dash in different directions.
I began freaking out, closed the ant farm lid, with the 10 ants that made it in, and began to wage war with the escapeys.
Tucker told me later, I have never heard you scream like that mom.
Yep. I was screaming, and probably not as calm as I should have been. I squished 10 ants, we didn’t need any allergic reactions at our house.
So Tucker is happy, some ants made it into the farm, I am happy, they can’t escape, and the surviving ants seem to be happy in their home.

**Later Toph asked me why I didn’t just scoop the ants up and put them in the farm. Like I had time to think about that. I was protecting our children and our home! They were like practically poisonous little buggers. Sheesh.