- Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified. They are easily identified by their geniculate (elbowed) antennae and the distinctive node-like structure that forms their slender waists.
- South Padilla Bay Wildlife Area Unit (wdfw.wa.gov)
The South Padilla Bay Unit of the Skagit Wildlife Area consists of 278 acres of mostly agricultural land at the south end of Padilla Bay in Skagit County. The four parcels that make up the unit are leased to local area farmers who produce cash crops in the summer and plant cover crops in the fall for migratory waterfowl forage. On two of the parcels, the lessee is required to plant and leave unharvested crops (typically barley) for high-value waterfowl forage. These same two parcels support three waterfowl hunting blinds managed by WDFW’s Private Lands Access Program. Due to safety concerns and to reduce disturbance to foraging waterfowl, hunting on the unit is limited to these three blinds.