Last week’s warm Easter weekend sun had many out in their gardens and we were no exception.  The sun also brought a dormant wood ant colony back to life on the edge of our property and gave me the perfect opportunity for some macro photography.  Every spring the ants gather and set about rebuilding their ant ‘apartment’ block and on several occasions I’ve then witnessed a black bear come along and devastate these mounds in next to no time.  The bears are able to use their acute sense of smell to lock on to pheromones released by the ants as they communicate.  The ants and especially the larvae or ‘brood’ are extremely nutritious and full of protein for hungry bears fresh out of hibernation, but they have to endure a lot from the nipping ants for just a few grams of fat.