I have a few stories. Non of them as funny as falling on my back and yelling "MY QUEEN!!!". That's so funny, I can only imagine what onlookers must have thought.
I've had the cops and the fire department/ambulance called on my on several occasions. One of the places I used to go anting was on the side of a fairly busy highway next to an orchard. Several times I've had cars pull over and ask if I'm ok and need help. For those that don't already know, I'm in a wheelchair. So the sight of some guy in a wheelchair hunched over looking at the ground on the side of the road I guess concerned a few people. Understandable I guess and I appreciate the concern but after a few times it really got bothersome. Another time at the same side of the road anting place. I'm just anting minding my own business and a cop car, a fire truck, and an ambulance come racing toward me with sirens blaring. Then the cop was the first to talk to me and said they got a call about a man in a wheelchair passed out on the side of the road. So I guess someone saw me hunched over looking at the ground and called them. Then when I explained to the cop what I was doing I don't think he believed me at first, because he wanted to look in my bag and then I had to further explain what all the test tubes were for (this was earlier in my anting days when I still anted with test tubes. Now I just use small plastic snap cap type containers). Once I finally convinced them I was ok and that I really was just anting the fire truck and ambulance left but the cop stayed to lecture me on how dangerous anting on the side of the road is and that I shouldn't risk my life for some stupid ants. While I can see his point, imo I wasn't that close to the road and was closer to the orchard. Another time at the same place, a cop that was just driving by pulled over to see if I was ok. This officer was much more friendly and once I told him what I was doing he even started looking around himself for about 5 minutes as if he was trying to help me find ants. Then he said good luck and stay safe and then he left.
I also have had run ins with homeless type people. Usually they just ask what I'm doing and I tell them and try to run away from them as fast as possible, I've had some bad experiences with homeless so I'm a bit anxious when they approach me. However this one time I was anting at one of my favorite urban anting spots by this small airport and this homeless lady whos walking down the street comes and asks what I'm looking for. I tell her I'm looking for queen ants and she gets super inquisitive. She asked me if they're worth anything and I tell her yeah I sell them sometimes, she asks what I've sold them for and she freaks out. "You can get that much for one ant!???" then she seemed to joke that now she's going to start looking for ants. I didn't think she was serious. But then about 15 minutes later she comes walking towards me with her hand clenched and shows me an ant asking if its a queen, it wasn't. She then threw it on the ground and walked away. After that I left, I didn't want to be bothered with her asking me if random worker ants were queens. Its funny I always wonder, like, if she did manage to get a queen who and how is she going to sell it? Now I just picture her on some seedy street corner pushing ant queens...lol.
You guys mentioned PetCo encounters. One of the times I was buying crickets, the girl that got them for me asked what I was feeding. I told her ants, and she goto really excited. She proceeded to tell me about this "really cool youtube channel you just have to check out, its called AntsCanada!" and then she starts telling me about it as if I've never heard of AC in my life. Then I finally interrupt her to tell her I have seen AC before and know what it is. Even after telling her that she still told me "yeah its great you should really check it out!
I have some other anting stories that are fun, but I've already made to long a post. But I have one more that's somewhat interesting if anyone wants to hear.
Edited by FSTP, February 4 2021 - 4:00 AM.
