a peek inside the fishbowl

16 Aug, 2013

Ottawa Giveaway alert: a family pass to see The Hidden Life of Ants

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Fishbowl patrons|Giveaways and product reviews

Have you been to the Canadian Museum of Nature lately? (FYI the Museum is Fishbowl patron and a great member of the Ottawa community if you didn’t already know.) :)

There’s some great stuff going on there right now. My top two picks: (1) The Edward Burtynsky exhibition, which I wrote about here. It’s only on until September 2 and you MUST catch it before it’s gone. (2) Mark W. Moffet’s photography exhibit called Farmers, Warriors, Builders: The Hidden Life of Ants. On loan from the Smithsonian, this unique exhibition features 39 large-format images from Moffett, who the National Geographic Society describes as “the Indiana Jones of entomology.”

It’s easy to understand why, with stunning images like this one:

Worker ants

©Mark W. Moffett/Minden Pictures

The Hidden Life of Ants is jam-packed with all kinds of fascinating information about how ants work, hunt, live and communicate.

  • Ever see a trail of ants leading into your cupboard? (Eep. I have.) That’s the work of pheromones. The workers in larger ant societies commonly lay down a trail of pheromones marking the path between food and home. With enough traffic, these trails sometimes develop into more durable systems, much like our highways
  • Ant colonies, whether large or small, are extended families, with one or several mothers (the queens) and many sisters (workers and soldiers). Males are few and short-lived; they die soon after leaving the nest to mate with a virgin queen from another nest. This queen will then start her own colony.
  • Did you know that ants from the same nest smell alike? Whenever ants meet, they sweep their antennae over each other to identify one another. If their scents are unfamiliar, the workers will either run away or go on the attack.
  • Human societies may send their young men to war, but weaver ants rely on the oldest members of their all-female society—their old ladies—to defend their territory.

There are also two live ant colonies in the exhibition as well. You can read the back story about that right here. (It was a long journey!)

Anyway, yes. Cool stuff!

This giveaway is for a family pass to the Museum of Nature plus (PLUS if you’re keen) a family pass to a live animal show that features unusual critters from around the world:

Come Talk to the Animals
Sunday, August 25
Shows are at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm
Meet Winston the Wallaby, native to Australia; Shakespeare the Crested Porcupine, native to Africa; and Butter the Angora Bunny, native to Turkey!

Interested? Read on!

  • This giveaway is for one family pass to the Museum as well as the live animal show as described above.
  • In order for your entry to qualify, please leave a comment below. That’s it!
  • This giveaway is void in Quebec, sorry.
  • If you can’t post your comment for whatever reason you can email it to me for posting at andrea at quietfish dot com. Please note, I cannot be responsible if your entry is misdirected or gets stuck in my Spam folder!
  • One entry per person please! We want lots of people to have the opportunity to win.

That’s it! I will draw one name using Random.org at noon EST on August 23, 2013. The winner will have to pick their passes up at the Museum. Over to you. Good luck!



42 Responses to "Ottawa Giveaway alert: a family pass to see The Hidden Life of Ants"

1 | Joy

August 16th, 2013 at 2:25 pm

Avatar

Would love a chance to go – ants are cool! Unless they are at my picnic, then they are just pests. Thanks for the opportunity!

2 | Aurelie

August 16th, 2013 at 2:26 pm

Avatar

Ants are amazing. I would love to go with my son! :)

3 | Christine

August 16th, 2013 at 2:31 pm

Avatar

Ants are awesome! My daughter has been watching them in the garden.

4 | Maria

August 16th, 2013 at 3:23 pm

Avatar

Wow! The ant facts that you posted are fascinating! I had no idea..and I want to learn more :D

5 | Brenda A

August 16th, 2013 at 3:33 pm

Avatar

The strength of ants is unreal. Imagine if humans were that strong? We would be so happy to see the exhibit and the live animal show. Thanks!

6 | lynn d

August 16th, 2013 at 3:41 pm

Avatar

the ants go marching one by one, hurrah hurrah….
Been wanting to see this exhibit, just gotta make the time.

7 | Mimi

August 16th, 2013 at 5:03 pm

Avatar

We’ve got ants and a couple of uncles too, though the ants have come to visit most often. Borax on the door jam are enough to slow ’em down. For those that get through, we’ve got Louison who finds them tasty.

8 | Rebecca

August 16th, 2013 at 5:08 pm

Avatar

We’d love to go! We are pretty big fans of ants at our house (not *in* our house…). Thanks!

9 | Christine

August 16th, 2013 at 5:23 pm

Avatar

Yes please, we love the Museum and we love bugs!
Thanks :)

10 | Danielle

August 16th, 2013 at 6:26 pm

Avatar

Us please! We love exploring Ottawa with the wee ones in tow!

11 | Catherine

August 16th, 2013 at 6:34 pm

Avatar

We haven’t been there in a while! Would love the pass :)

12 | Emily

August 16th, 2013 at 7:33 pm

Avatar

Very interested!! I’m always looking for fun activities for my babes! Thank you ; )

13 | Kristina Jensen

August 16th, 2013 at 8:23 pm

Avatar

We would love to take my daughter! She loves all things creepy crawly!

14 | Kim

August 16th, 2013 at 9:23 pm

Avatar

My LO is obsessed with ants — she’d love to see lots of them up close.

15 | Melissa

August 16th, 2013 at 10:30 pm

Avatar

Ants and unusual critters at the “castle” (what my four-year-old calls the museum) would be great!

16 | antz pantz

August 17th, 2013 at 1:03 am

Avatar

I want this. I heart ants. And bees. And wasps. And all critters.

17 | will

August 17th, 2013 at 1:26 am

Avatar

ANTS! EVERYWHERE ANTS!!

18 | Mike Noguera

August 17th, 2013 at 8:54 am

Avatar

Would love to go!!! Thanks for the opportunity!!!

19 | Redheadedmama

August 17th, 2013 at 11:02 am

Avatar

Sounds fascinating! We would love to go. Thanks!

20 | Nikki

August 17th, 2013 at 11:08 am

Avatar

My kids think all ants are to be killed – would love to show them there is more to ants!

21 | Paul Labelle

August 17th, 2013 at 11:46 am

Avatar

This all sounds very colonial!

22 | Jennifer

August 17th, 2013 at 1:32 pm

Avatar

I’ve been in Ottawa almost 9 years and have never been and have always wanted to go!

23 | Katie

August 17th, 2013 at 1:49 pm

Avatar

Thanks for sharing this!

24 | Nora

August 17th, 2013 at 5:47 pm

Avatar

Thanks for the opportunity! We’d love to go!

25 | Emily Sanchez

August 17th, 2013 at 6:57 pm

Avatar

Would love to go!!

26 | Sean

August 17th, 2013 at 11:26 pm

Avatar

Ants are awesome

27 | Carolyn

August 17th, 2013 at 11:47 pm

Avatar

Love ants! My kids would be fascinated.

28 | Sarah

August 18th, 2013 at 9:27 am

Avatar

Hitting the wall with my boys as summer finishes up. This is on my list for next week!

29 | Annette Hollas

August 18th, 2013 at 9:57 am

Avatar

I would love to take my eldest to this exhibit – she has just started to notice ants crawling on the ground, so this would be the perfect opportunity for her to learn more about what these critters get up to! :)

30 | Jennifer

August 18th, 2013 at 1:45 pm

Avatar

My children would love this. We are camping right now, and the kids can’t get enough of the bugs.

31 | Marielle Quinton

August 19th, 2013 at 10:09 am

Avatar

We love the Museum of Nature, it’s really a great museum for everyone. I’m sure my son would love to see the ant exhibit.

32 | Meagan

August 19th, 2013 at 1:23 pm

Avatar

Lucy’s been asking to go back to this museum since she went with her daycare (I’ve never been! Can you imagine?!). This would be perfect :)

33 | Shannon

August 20th, 2013 at 8:56 am

Avatar

Would love to check out the life of ants. My girls would so be into this!

34 | Kelly

August 20th, 2013 at 11:49 am

Avatar

I would love to check this out. My kids would think its really neat!

35 | KL

August 20th, 2013 at 9:12 pm

Avatar

It would love to see how ants live…my daughter would find it interesting too.

36 | samantha

August 21st, 2013 at 10:01 am

Avatar

I have been wanting to go for a long time to this museum. I haven’t been since I was 6 because my family is too big so it adds up! I have been wanting to get my own ant farm for a longtime now. Please pick me!

37 | nathalie

August 21st, 2013 at 10:04 am

Avatar

would love to take my kids….perfect family outing!!!

38 | Kamerine

August 21st, 2013 at 4:35 pm

Avatar

What an awesome giveaway! It sounds amazing! I’m sure my two would love it!

39 | Sarah McCormack

August 22nd, 2013 at 1:08 pm

Avatar

would love to take my sons to this……. also my older son hasn’t been there since the reno’s and he loves Rocks & Minerals.. would love the new displays!

40 | Theresa

August 22nd, 2013 at 1:15 pm

Avatar

We’d love to go! We don’t get to the museums as often as I’d like, this would be extra incentive =)

41 | andrea tomkins

August 23rd, 2013 at 1:06 pm

Avatar

Thanks for your entries everybody! The comments are closed to new entries. I’ll be posting the winner here ASAP!

42 | andrea tomkins

August 23rd, 2013 at 1:10 pm

Avatar

The winner is commenter #36 – samantha – who writes:

“I have been wanting to go for a long time to this museum. I haven’t been since I was 6 because my family is too big so it adds up! I have been wanting to get my own ant farm for a longtime now. Please pick me!”

It sounds like your family is in for a treat Samantha! By the way, did you know that admission to the permanent galleries is free on Thursday evenings between 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm? :)

Enjoy your visit, and congratulations!

comment form:

Archives

Me and my pet projects

Ottawa Bucket list

Subscribe via email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


  • Joette Westphal: Weitere Informationen über Bitcoin Cash auf Deutsch https://bchpls.org/weitere-informationen-auf-deutsch/
  • Renee: I just saw one yesterday on a small patch of grassy land near the Mann Ave 417 exit near Lees Station, Ottawa, ON. I had no idea they came in black!
  • Tisha: I just created 2 bee baths on Sunday, and when I went outside yesterday to check the water levels, the exact same scenario greeted me! One single mar
  • Jennifer Jilks: I don't have a bucket list. I sorta live day to day!
  • Aj: Each peach, Everybody puts two feet in, king counter will say the following rhyme as they count around the circle: "Each peach pear plum out goes
  • Jenn Jilks: That is really exciting! Break a leg!
  • fun88: I was excited to discover this page. I want to to thank you for your time for this fantastic read!! I definitely liked every part of it and i also

The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

If you'd like to contact me, please use this form. If you're so inclined, you can read more about me here. Thank you for visiting!

 


Connect with me at these places too!

Still calling it Twitter