Ant Predictions

I've been noticing ant hills lately. For the past couple of days, the ants have been busy piling up the dirt around the openings to their hills. And their hills look larger.

The piling and enlarging, according to folklore, means that a hard rain is coming, or—if it happens in midsummer, which is now—foretells a harsh winter.

When the ants are unusually busy," the old superstition goes, "foul weather is at hand."

I found the following information about weather superstitions in the New York Times archives:

Take a look at these ant hills and see what you think:

The following ant hills were in the dog kennel—on higher ground near the foundation of the shop. I think they must be the ant equivalent to condos.

Check out the number of entrances to this one:

Obviously the ants have been working hard lately. 

Hard rain? Hard winter? We shall see. . . .

Updated on Thursday, August 5: Heavy rain, wind, thunder—and a tornado warning (but no tornado) for my area this afternoon. As of this evening, no traces of the anthills remain. Those ants knew what was coming.

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