Along Happy Valley Road in Metchosin lies an ant hill so mighty, it has its own sign.

A common sight for passersby who live nearby, and a special find for those new to the area, the two-foot-high B次元官网网址淎nt NestB次元官网网址� has been a part of a local coupleB次元官网网址檚 property for two decades.

The Morrans, who asked to not have their full names included, have lived on their property for 40 years.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of people have never seen an antsB次元官网网址� nest,B次元官网网址� Mrs. Morran said, adding that onlookers often stop to take pictures of the crawling insects. B次元官网网址淎 lot of people walk along the bank and it became a bit of a highlight for them.B次元官网网址�

Rob Higgins, a professor at Thompson Rivers University and ant expert, said the species is most likely the B次元官网网址渇ormica oreas,B次元官网网址� also known as a thatching ant B次元官网网址� the most common kind to live on southern Vancouver Island.

Thatching ants can have a painful bite and spray acid that will leave humans with a burning sensation. Their nests can start from a single queen ant and grow to a population of thousands.

B次元官网网址淚t isnB次元官网网址檛 really clear why they swarm onto the surface of the nest. They might be trying to warm their bodies and then take that heat back into the nest, or they might be trying to take overheated bodies from within the nest and radiate away the excess heat,B次元官网网址� Higgins said.

B次元官网网址淭hey will change the number of entrance holes in the thatch to control internal temperature. If it gets hot in the nest they will open more, and on a cold day, they will close most to keep heat in.B次元官网网址�

While the sign is there to warn people, it could also draw the attention of bears, which are known to dig up the hills for food, Higgins said.

B次元官网网址淚 once saw a young bear just dipping his paws into a nest he had torn open and seemed to happily be licking the ants off of his paws.B次元官网网址�

Luckily, Mrs. Morran told Black Press Media says the local bears have so far stayed clear.

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