I too wondered if they were a native ant. They're about 2 mm long, black, very shiny, thorax segmented into about four segments each decreasing in size moving toward the abdomen. They move very slowly. I found some ( a dozen or so) in some duff under a shrub, and, as I mentioned, the others on a sunflower. They are able to make their way up the hirsute stems of the sunflower plant. They are so small they can walk around the stiff hairs. I did a brief search with no luck. May try again, now that I have gone outside and looked at them more closely with a lens and ruler. Interestingly, after many years of fighting argentines, with baits, spray etc. I have virtually eliminated them from my yard. Underscore virtually. I still find a few here or there but no big colonies. When I find one I destroy it. I have been spraying "Home Defense" around the foundation of my house once or twice a year, and I think ths has helped. Bob

Several years ago a male Painted Bunting bathed in the birdbath, but I haven't seen one since. See Indigo Buntings most summers--none yet this year. The last two years I saw both an Oriol and a Rosebreasted Grosbeak visit my feeder for a few days in the spring, but so far not this year either. The Goldfinches are now in their lovely black and yellow summer dress. And there is a phoebe nesting under the eave of the storage shed as there has been for almost every summer for 30 years. I love to watch the birds.

Hi Liz......The watermelon seems to draw a lot of gnat-type flies, but the butterflies seem to cause them to leave. I had a number of butterflies in my "ripe" watermelon, but it was old, so I replaced it with a new rind.........and they didn't like that one as much. haha I have my watermelon slice in a hanging wire basket on a tall shepherds hook......so I think coons and opossums, etc. can't climb it. (Although I wouldn't put it past a coon to get it down somehow!) I say go for it!

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