By Victoria Torley

We had friends visiting the other evening and they wanted to see the orchid garden which runs from a nice cleared area down into the forest and the arroyo. Everyone had good solid shoes, so usually there would be no problem. Usually. But that evening, as we crossed from the open area toward the path that leads down to the arroyo, the forest floor seemed to be moving.

Forest floors, in my experience, do not move. Instead we moved – very cautiously – back to the house where we discovered the problem. We were being invaded by and advance column of army ants and the column, which was about two feet wide, was already climbing the side of the house! RAID!

Fortunately, we had enough Raid to deter the column and even the masses of ants that followed them. It must have worked because we weren’t invaded although “home invasion” has its advantages, especially if you have an insect infestation or if rodents have made homes in your house. In fact we have friends who look forward to army ants as the house will be free of bugs and mice after the “army” has swept through. Even if that does seem creepy to the rest of us.

Of course, no one stays home during the invasion, and all pets are scooped up when the family evacuates by car.

What good are these army ants? Well, the foraging ants cause a lot of other creatures to flee (like the family and its pets). Ant birds, tanagers, woodcreepers and other birds often follow foraging colonies of army ants preying on the insects, spiders and small vertebrates that are fleeing the invasion. Destructive hordes of caterpillars are destroyed by the ants as are other pests that prey on decorative plants and crops. Army ants have been known to devour wasps and clean out their nests. I can appreciate those things as well.

As for the moving forest floor, well, it was early evening and the ants were probably looking for a nice spot to camp for the night since, unlike “regular” ants, they have no permanent nesting site. I suppose that, when you are consuming 500,000 prey every day you have to keep on the move. A evening camp must be an impressive sight – a huge ball of ants either above or below ground – all clinging together with jaws and all surrounding and protection the huge queen. If I ever find one, I am going to stay as far away as possible.




The Nicotiana or flowering tobacco is a lovely flowering plant with varieties that grow from 18 inches to five feet in height. Flowers are trumpet shaped and can be up to three inches long with a five-petal bloom. Flowers can be white or shades of pink, red or light green, so a bed of mixed colors can be eye-catching. Plant in full sun to partial shade in slightly acid soil. The plant is native to South America and does well in areas of Costa Rica.



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For more information on this article or to request information about gardening, Ms. Victoria Torley, gardener columnist, can be reached at victoriatorley1@gmail.com

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