Queen of the Ants

After school yesterday, O had a lot to tell me..."Mommy, did you know that ants live in a colony?  The ants work for the queen.  The queen is bigger than all the others and she has wings.  Really, Mommy.  I'm not really sure why, but that's how you can tell she is a queen.  And, there's a special room in the colony for the queen.  It's called the queen's room.  Next to the queen's room is the egg nursery where the ants take care of the queen babies and up above that room is the larva cocoon room.  Across from there is the food storage room and down below all of the room's is a room called the winter room.  Now mommy, you are probably thinking that this is where they store their winter coats and hats, but it is not.  It is where they go for the winter.  It is really big because all the ants have to fit into it.  The queen lives in her room while all the ants work for her.  Oh and I have good news.  Did you know there's only queens, no kings.  Girls rule in the world of ants!  Oh and I almost forgot, right before the queen ant dies, she lays an egg and that egg will be the next queen; until she lays an egg, she is the only queen ant in the entire world."


I said, "Wow O, that's really amazing.  You learned a lot today.  Are you sure there is only one queen in the entire world?  Goodness, she has more power than Queen Elizabeth of England."  It's so sweet how small their world really is.  I couldn't help how lovely it might be to come back in my next life as a queen ant relaxing in my room while the worker ants bring me food, a world where girls rule...


However, my thoughts were quickly jostled by O whom replied, "Yes, really!  My teacher told me.  And Mommy, after the preying mantis' are born, I think it would be a great idea to get an ant farm like my friend Jack has in his room."  An ant farm...mmm...with all of them creating a trail to my kitchen so they can get more food for their queen...Kindergarten SUCKS!