There is something quite frustrating about some local South Indian farmers I’ve met.
But first, this is the largest ant mound I’ve seen in India (or anywhere else for that matter):
I spotted this one just outside of Tiruchappalli (or more commonly called Trichy, as the locals call it). If you don’t know it, Trichy is famous for its white rice – and the locals say the taste is so good because of the special properties of the soil. So, I guess it would only be natural that the ants enjoy this great soil and build super-mounds like this one!
But what’s so frustrating about some local South Indian farmers? I could never find any farmers (or locals for that matter) who referred to these as “ant mounds” or “termite mounds.” If you ask the locals, they will always tell you they are “snake houses.” OK, probably they make nice homes for snakes – I don’t dispute that. But it always makes me wonder if they know who the builder was, not just some of the tenants!
You can see my other Amazing Ants photographs here: