Argentine Ants

I first noticed Argentine Ants when I was around 8 years old. They dominated half of our street, with common black ants taking up the other half.

I used to put them into a container (gladiator arena) to battle each other. The ants would try to avoid fighting. However, when they clashed, the Argentine would lock onto a limb, and that was it.

Smaller ants tend to do that. They try to hinder the larger ant, thereby, allowing their brethren to dominate, through sheer diminance by numbers.

As much as I dislike them, I admire their, Roman Legion, style of battle. Dominating the local species and expanding across the region, just like the Romans.

Argentine ants are small. They have no stinger or acid attacks. They succeed by;

1. Being small.
   Being small, generally means that less energy is required to make the ants.

2. Polygyny, to have multiple queens.
   Argentine Ants allow a nesr to have many, many queens. Many ant species only allow the colony to have only one queen. Having many queen enables the colony to produce and expand more rapidly.

3. Queens move with trails.
   Normally, in ant species, the queen remains in her chamber laying eggs. Whereas, Argentine ant queens will often travel with the foraging ants, so that, if a rubbish truck, picks up the rubbish infested with Argentine ants, it is most certain to contain some queens. Once the rubbish is dumped, then the ants establish a new base of operations.

4. Aggressive
   Argentine ants dominate their local environment. They do not share with other ants.

So, for most of my life, I have sadly watched Argentine ants dominating many areas. Until this year.

This year, the Argentine ants have had a minor setback. It might be the weather conditions are favouring other species. Whatever it is, there are a few new ant species claiming back some territory.

The Australian Government tried to fight against the invasive species back in the early 70s, but they lost the battle.

Here was some 1968 propaganda to get kids involved in finding nests..
https://aso.gov.au/titles/ads/argentine-ants-advertisement/clip1/

And a 1950s Government advisory:
https://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/the-argentine-ant/clip1/

Now, I have the pleasure of watching the crazy black ants, competing with, the subterranean ants. The crazy black ants are larger and have more numbers. The subterranean's have smaller numbers.

Here, you see the subterranean attached to the black ants leg. The black ant is seriously inconvenienced.

While on Argentine Ants, a study finds that they may harbour a virus that causes wing deformity in bees and other insects.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2015-09-09/argentinian-ants-harbour-viruses/6757680

Oh, the lessons we can learn, from the smallest creatures.

https://www.gamergate.com.au/new-blog/2017/1/30/argentine-ants-by-ants-australia

I'm @jagged