This time I think the ants are visible in the photo. There are patches of cut, dried grass at the entrance to an ants nest and finally I think some of the small black ants are visible.
Yep, got them! There are a large number of Monomorium and Chelaner species that collect grass seeds, bringing the whole seed and it’s associated coverings and awns back to the nest, then dissecting out the bit they want and chucking the rest on the rubbish heap outside the nest. Cheers, Jon
Many thanks Jon, I wonder if they help spread weeds like Saffron Thistle, or do they eat the seeds and actually help us with the weeding. A nice thought.