The Fire Ant Gazette - A Texas Hill Country Blog

Venom, anyone? (Part 2)
Nobody wants to be injected with venom, right? But some components of venom could be life saving.

Part 2 of this limited series on venom focuses on resources that are helpful in case of snake bites. Could save your life, or that of your pet.

Venom, anyone? (Part 1)
A scholarly and frequently irreverent survey of the natural dangers that confront the unwary or overconfident

What’s the deal with venom, anyway? And why is the whole world apparently out to get us humans?

Fire Ant Flickers (#6): The Post Thanksgiving Post
As the year starts to wind down, so does my creativity.

I’ve heard that tryptophan hangovers are not really a thing, but I’m still claiming one as an excuse for this post.

Reined Deer -or- Buck on a String
This is the worst Christmas decoration job I've ever seen.

A neighborhood deer apparently got crosswise with a construction site installation and emerged victorious but not unmarked.

A Veterans Day Tribute: In My Father’s Own Words

Members of the 104th Infantry Division (aka Timberwolves) - near Stolberg, Germany - November 1944 (LIFE Magazine, John Florea Photographer)

This is a story that I feel is worth repeating on this Veterans Day: my father’s account of his experience in the Army during World War II.

Happy 22nd Blogiversary to The Fire Ant Gazette!
I aspire to be artificially intelligent. This natural stuff isn't working for me.

I asked an AI to generate a "happy birthday" graphic for the Gazette and this is what it came up with. 🤣

It’s the Gazette’s 22nd birthday, and I asked a couple of AI bots to take over for me while I celebrate.

Pareidolia -or- Do you see what I see?
Do you see things in things? If so, welcome to the party!

Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon where our brains make us see things in other things. Or something.

Fire Ant Flickers (#5): Focus on Maui Nature
Some random nature observations from our recent visit to Maui

This is a view of the western part of Maui as seen from near the top of Haleakalā. The cloud-covered West Maui Mountains are in the distance.

Our recent trip with friends to Maui provided some interesting encounters with local fauna and flora.

Never Trust Older Brothers
Try it, they said. You'll like it, they said.

Older brothers picking on younger ones is a phenomenon as old as the Garden of Eden (well, if you’re a snake). [Cartoon images only]

Return of the Rock Squirrel
They're skittish, but fallen pecans are too hard to resist.

After a prolonged absence, we’re once again being visited by one or more rock squirrels.