30 Days. 30 Bugs. Teaching kids all the YIKES about the Yellow Meadow Ant…

During June, I will be offering some pretty interesting bugs to you and your kids… bugs that will excite and entertain kids while teaching them.  Each and every little word or fun piece of information is a building block to love of learning and literacy.

Come along for the YIKES!  It’s gonna be a buggah!

Common to Central Europe, the Yellow Meadow Ant is also found in North America, North Africa and Asia.

As you may have guessed, the Yellow Meadow Ant is yellow, but its color shades vary into brown, too.  It is a relatively slow and shy ant species that avoids fights/confrontation with other species. The Worker Yellow Meadow Ant is anywhere from 2 – 5 mm, but the Queen ranges from 7 – 9 mm.  Both the Queen and the male Yellow Meadow Ant are a slightly darker yellow-color.

Colonies of Yellow Meadow Ants are formed by many Queens, but when a colony becomes well established, the Queens are killed until only one Queen is left. YIKES!

The Yellow Meadow Ant nest is built almost entirely underground, in meadows, grasslands and lawns, and sometimes under large rocks or even concrete. The nests are very  intricate, with numerous channels made in the soil; sometimes housing a colony of 5000 or more ants. YIKES!

The Yellow Meadow Ant feeds on aphids and aphid honeydew.  (That’s a YEAH!)

Introduce your kids and grandkids to the illusive Yellow Meadow Ant.  Because of its subterranean habits, it may be difficult to find one… but it’s certainly interesting to study. The fights among the Queens are one tidbit your kids are sure to remember!

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Join me here each day in June for 30 days. 30 Bugs. – a little fun, a little learning and a lotta YIKES!