Crapper Hattie gives us a lesson on two creatures this week: fire ants and centipedes.
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Britannica adds a little to Crapper Hattie’s knowledge base. The red fire ant is larger in size than the average ant we come across. The red fire ant that is common to Tennessee will have a burnt red color and a dark, almost black posterior. These ants are segmented and have six legs. Needless to say, fire ants possess a stinger.
Fire ants are social insects and each colony consists of one or more queens, winged males and females, and three kinds of workers. A single nest averages approximately 25,000 workers, but far larger populations are common.
Another interesting fire ant fact, especially considering the recent events in our regions: fire ants are noted for their ability to survive extreme conditions, including floods.
Centipedes are not insects but arthropods, which are a group of animals that also includes spiders, scorpions, ticks and sowbugs.
Centipedes generally remain under stones, bark and ground trash by day. At night they hunt for and capture other small invertebrates. They move rapidly, using 14 to 177 pairs of legs and have one pair of long, many-jointed antennae and a pair of jaw-like, venomous claws just behind the head.
Creativity is tied to literacy and teacher Melissa Halter with her daughter Hattie are sharing periodic episodes of Crapper Mom and Crapper Hattie videos.
