KAMENG WAE HALA

 

"Ai ... these ants are really too," said Mama grumpily because the steamed sponge cake she had just made was eaten by ants. "Please take the ant chalk on the shelf," he told me in a tone of command. "I don't want to," I said angrily, turning to want to leave my mother. "Where are you going?" I grabbed my hair. "Basic. This kid is like Kameng wae hala, ”he joked with a smile. I smiled too, then I said, "That's why don't like orders. I don't want to be like that. " Mama was flabbergasted. The old woman looked shocked. "Didn't I ask for help?" He asked rhetorically, then went to open the shelf. Mama took out the ant chalk. Scratched it around the cake holder which he placed on the table.

I watched the ants' behavior. Those who were in the circle slowly became helpless and died. Those outside the circle are getting farther away from the chalk mark scratched by the mother. "Poor them really," I said to mama. “You know… you pity the ants? Strange. Mama who works hard to sweat this you underestimate. I don't even want to ask for help, you guys wae hala, "Mom grumbled to me. I do not care. I tried to follow the ants outside the circle moving away. They flocked through the cracks in the tile floor towards the edge of the room. From there they continued along the wall of the room to the door and then down the stairs. The ant troupe grew. Even so, they still walked one by one, not crowded. Arriving at the last step, the ant that was walking to the front stopped for a moment. Simultaneously all the ants stopped too.

For a moment the ant "leader of the party" seemed to think for a moment. Apparently they had to turn around. Wow, they were walking towards the piece of cake that had fallen from my hand. They stopped. Surround the piece of cake. I was more and more curious, what the ants would do. The ants tried to lift the piece of cake. Initially 5 ants. Can not. Just shifted a little. Suddenly there were a dozen ants carrying the cake. It works. They led him to the last step. I keep following them. Of course, from where I sit, only my eyes are always on them.

There at the corner of the stairs, they paused for a moment. Wow… there was a hole. They entered the hole carrying the piece of cake. Suddenly came out from within a group of black ants who were walking in no direction. In no time at all, they were filling the steps, but very irregular. They are not walking in a path like the previous ants. Precisely because of their presence, the ants had disappeared. I searched everywhere, but I could not find it.

"Where are they?" I shouted to myself. However, mom suddenly got behind me. "Who are you looking for?" He asked me. I pointed at the wild black ants that didn't know any manners. "That, Ma. When they came out of the hole, the ants disappeared. Even though they were carrying the cake that fell from my hand, "I explained. “Besides, those black ants don't know the rules. They walk and run carelessly. It seems very wild, "I continued. "Well, that's what we call the kameng wae hala ant. Just like you. It's hard to control. Never want to listen to mama. You like yourself, "said the mother casually. "So, you equate me with Kameng wae hala?" I asked. However, Mom had passed me by saying, "Just answer yourself."

Kameng wae hala is the name given by the people of Sikka district for black ants who walk recklessly. They usually appear occasionally from inside holes or from old discarded patchwork. Their appearance immediately disturbed the eye. Very handsome and roaming as they please. Unlike ants in general who always line up, cooperate, work together, respect each other, and so on. So, if there are children who are difficult to control and like to roam around, parents always say that the child is like kameng wae hala. Other people call it mihe wae rumang or crazy ants.

 

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Of the approximately 15,000 species of ants found worldwide, some of these species or types of ants are known as agricultural pests and some of them are known to damage the wooden structure of buildings. When in residential areas, some of the most common types of house ants are usually found in the kitchen or dining area, where they can easily find food sources in the house. These include: ghost ants (sugar ants), pharaoh ants, mad ants, and carpenter ants.

Sugar ants have a dark head with a clear stomach. Measuring about 2.5 - 15 mm. These ants don't bite. These ants like foods that taste sweet, made from sugar. Sugar ants are often found indoors, especially in humid environments such as under kitchen sinks and in cupboards. Sugar ants come to the house because they are attracted to sugary foods, food crumbs or spilled sugary drinks that are not cleaned up right away. Methods for dealing with sugar ants include quickly cleaning up any crumbs, grease, and other food sources that may remain behind the refrigerator and stove.

Pharaoh ants have a small body and are brownish yellow in color. These ants may bite, but they rarely sting. These ants seek out high protein, oil-based foods. They are actively looking for food at night. Pharaoh ants nest in closed areas in various places in the house, such as in wall cracks, under some household items and under carpets. Pharaoh ants come to your house because a lot of food is open on the table or not tightly closed in your kitchen. The way to deal with pharaoh ants is never to try to repel pharaoh ants by using insecticide sprays or liquids as this will only make things worse and make this ant colony more difficult to control. Don't hesitate to contact a professional ant control when you have to deal with pharaoh ants at home.

Carpenter ants are large about 17 mm in size and dark in color, but can also be found to be red-black in color. Carpenter ants do not bite or sting. Carpenter ants prefer high protein food sources, especially dead insects. Carpenter ants choose to nest in trees and wooden structures. These types of ants bite wood while building their nests in trees, but they don't eat wood like termites. Carpenter ants are attracted to places with high humidity and form nests in the form of holes in wooden structures. The way to deal with carpenter ants is to immediately repair the source of leaks around the house, for example from water pipes that can cause damage or weathering to wood which carpenter ants like.

The mad black ants have long legs and can move erratically in any direction when they are disturbed. Mad ants do not bite or sting. Crazy ants eat a wide variety of foods, but prefer sugar-based foods. Crazy ants nest outside the home (outdoors), especially under flower pots, paths and around pool areas. Mad ants are a type of house ant that are known as invasive pests or can massively colonize a habitat. Once the mad ants get into the house, they will quickly roam for food sources and become more difficult to control. You should try to reduce the chances of this type of ant getting into your house by removing tree branches that are adjacent to your house. Another way you can do this is to cover all the cracks and gaps that could allow crazy ants to enter the house.

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Apart from the various types of ants with their characteristics, the values ​​that can be learned from the ants include discipline, cooperation, mutual cooperation, unity and solidarity. Ants are very disciplined in queuing (except crazy ants). If ants can stand in line, why are we humans always impatient and want to come first? Ants always work together to make a living. They also work together to bring the proceeds to the nest. If the ants can cooperate and cooperate in working, why do we prefer to do nothing while watching other people work?

Ants also have high integrity in building unity. They always live in colonies. No ant lives alone. If ants can forge unity, why would we rather witness and be agents of divisions between us? Ants always maintain a solidarity. There will be no ants that finish their own food. They are always various. If ants alone have a solidarity, why would we prefer to be selfish or selfish? Let us learn from ants to cultivate a positive attitude in us.

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