Ant World: Slavery, Kidnapping, Parasitic attitude...

Scientists often compare ants with people due their organization, mutual aid and the social system. We used to think of them as hardworking and in a sense noble creatures. Sometimes they look like us more than we think.

Today, science knows more than 14,000 species of ants, and not all of them adhere to the strategy of a peaceful and “fair” existence. The ant communities demonstrate a variety of tactics: they are able to spy, to pretend to steal and capture into slavery other ants. I want to introduce you to the most unusual of them.

Cardiocondyla obscurior- There can be only one!

The colony is based on the principle of Patriarchy. Single alpha male is watching that ants-babysitters kill newborn males. He marks a newborn with a special smell and the workers literally tear a competitor apart. This should be done immediately after the birth of a male, otherwise on the second day his armor will become too strong for the workers, then the males will fight one on one.

In 14% the young male wins, 43% — the workers in the heat of battle eliminate both "bosses", and feed their bodies to the larvae. The first-born male will become a new alpha.

Temnothorax Pilagens- The slavers.

These ants don't have own workers, so they prefer the slaves. The colony consists of one of the uterus, 1-16 slavers and 10-50 slaves. The slavers penetrate to colony of other ants, using chemical camouflage, they steal eggs and young larvae, and sometimes adult ants.

According to scientists Temnothorax Pilagens secrete special pheromones that suppress the will of other ants. During the attack, the attacked ants don't fight and allow only a few robbers to freely carry their fellows. This may be due to the fact that Temnothorax Pilagens also have a deadly sting, which causes immediate paralysis and quick death. 5-10 Temnothorax Pilagens can destroy the other colony of ants, numbering several thousand individuals. Thus, the attacked ants minimize losses.

Solenopsis Fugax- The kidnappers.

These ants steal larvae too, but not to enslave, but for food. They settle near a large colony of another species and build the network of tunnels right in the room with the eggs and larvae. When Solenopsis Fugax attack, they secrete pheromones with a disgusting smell which disorientates other ants. This allows them with impunity to carry the prey to the nest.

The ants-owners not able to catch the thieves because can't crawl through the narrow tunnels. Over time, the colony of thieves may grow to such an extent that can to completely destroy the offspring of ants-owners.

Dinoponera Quadriceps- Divide and conquer.

Ants-dinosaurs reach 2.5 cm in length, the number of ants in a colony does not exceed 100 individuals. Their social system is a little different from the standard: in addition to the one alpha females (uterus), there is also 5 beta females who live next to her.

Alpha female releases a pheromone that suppresses the desire to reproduce the rest. But, if one of the beta suddenly lays eggs, she will be severely punished. Alpha female releases chemicals, ordering the ants-workers grab the offender and presses her to the ground for up to 4 days. If the beta survives, she loses her rank and becomes a worker of lower rank. If the alpha dies, the beta fighting each other for her title.

Formicoxenus Nitidulus- Ugly freeloaders.

This species is a parasite on other colonies. They don't work, don't look for food, don't protect the nest, only eat and reproduce. Also they have a very repulsive appearance- legs grow out of eyes.

What the reason the owners can't to expel them? If the ant-owner attacks Formicoxenus Nitidulus, he secretes a pheromone which causes disgust the attacker, literally. The owner immediately releases the freeloader and goes back to his business. Formicoxenus Nitidulus is an endangered species.

Nylanderia Fulva- The psychopaths.

Also known as Rasberry crazy ants. This species was introduced into the USA by accident in 2000 and staged a genocide of the local population. They completely destroyed the population of red ants in Texas and are spreading to other States.

During the attack, Nylanderia Fulva covers his body with very toxic venom, which is able to kill not only other ants, but even young birds and small reptiles. Their movements during exploration and hunting are very chaotic. They are addicted to the unusual for these insects food- electrical wires and computer chips.

Ant eats the wire sheath, then gets an electric shock and dies. At the time of death he secretes a very strong pheromone that attracts its kin. Other ants also attack the wire and gradually form a burnt lump, which causes a short circuit.

Sometimes they create colonies inside the computers, for example on motherboards. The allocated secrets can also cause a short circuit on a chip. Scientists believe that they are attracted by electromagnetic fields and heat from electricity.

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In this article, I described a rather "bad" behavior, however, they bring balance to nature. Among the thousands of species of these insects there are also good and interesting examples: farmers, breeders, defenders of the trees and many others. In nature there is no bad and cruel strategy, there is only survival strategy. The ant world is amazingly diverse.

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sources: Cardiocondyla, Temnothorax pilagens, Solenopsis Fugax, Dinoponera quadriceps, Rasberry crazy ant, Formicoxenus nitidulus, Unusual ants, AntWiki images from Google search.

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