An image of a sad-looking ant holding a stick with a bag tied to the end of it has been making the rounds on the internet, oftentimes with a phrase like, "how it feels to get ghosted" or "how it feels to double text."

But where did the photo of the sad ant come from and what does the meme mean?

Where Does The Image Of The Sad Ant Come From?

The image of a sad ant holding a bindle comes from a website for a Virginia-based pest control company named Zap Pest Control. The original file was named "sad bug with napsack," and contained additional imagery of the house the bug presumably had to evacuate.

The ant was first used as a meme when a Twitter user named @roxylalondeswag made fun of how ineffective it is to say "homophobes do not interact."

How Is The Image Of The Sad Ant Used In Memes?

Inspired by the aforementioned use of the sad ant image, early uses of the meme often signified the act of "sending someone packing." For instance, one Tumblr user mocked the idea of starting a "Stop Communist China" petition, while another early meme became the first to coin the image "sad ant with bindle."

After the image grew more popular, people began to take on the identity of the ant in memes that read, "How it feels to X." Some examples of such memes are shown below.

What Are Some Variations Of The Sad Ant With Bindle Meme?

In June 2023, someone had the bright idea to take away the ant's bindle and make him smile instead. This meme plays off of one's knowledge of the sad ant meme, and represents growth and newfound happiness.

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For the full history of the sad ant with bindle meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.