What's up with the Ants?

I wanted to do a little more research into Salvador Dali, specifically his symbol of ants. He uses the small bugs as a symbol of decay and decomposition. Dalí met ants the first time as a child, watching the decomposed remains of small animals eaten by them. He watched with fascination and repulsion, and continued to use them in his work, as a symbol of decadence and ephemeral. He was very intrigued with this and it was one of the many symbols he used in his works.