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Can anyone explain what my ants are doing to one of the larvae?

Started By antdoctor , Mar 31 2021 7:10 PM

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22 replies to this topic

#1 Offline antdoctor - Posted March 31 2021 - 7:10 PM

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Hi,

 

New-ish ant keeper here. I have a Camponotus modoc colony that is a bit under one year old. Just curious what this behavior represents. See video. Thanks!

 

https://imgur.com/a/ELXgGdH


Edited by antdoctor, March 31 2021 - 7:24 PM.

#2 Offline NickAnter - Posted March 31 2021 - 7:20 PM

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They are eating it.


  • DDD101DDD likes this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#3 Offline antdoctor - Posted March 31 2021 - 7:24 PM

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Damn. I was worried that was the case. I wonder why. They had a cricket in their outworld that I saw a worker eating that same day, but they didn't seem as interested in it as usual. They really tore into another cricket just a few days prior. I've only been giving them crickets. Could it be that they want more variety of protein sources? Or perhaps they're stressed? I'm guessing it's not normal behavior...


#4 Offline NickAnter - Posted March 31 2021 - 7:28 PM

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Ants are not very intelligent creatures. Some colonies are prone to eating their brood, its a relatively normal(if frustrating) occurrence.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#5 Offline antdoctor - Posted March 31 2021 - 7:30 PM

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Oh okay! Good to know it's not a bad sign. Colony otherwise seems to be doing well so that makes sense.


#6 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 1 2021 - 2:51 AM

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Yeah, Camponotus are really prone to doing this. I put them on the lowest end of the ant IQ scale.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#7 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted April 1 2021 - 4:07 AM

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You may also see them biting at a larvae, this is when a larvae is growing to fast and they are trying to stress it out to make it grow slower. It a common thing in many species.


We don’t talk about that

#8 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted April 1 2021 - 4:34 AM

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You may also see them biting at a larvae, this is when a larvae is growing to fast and they are trying to stress it out to make it grow slower. It a common thing in many species.

I have never heard of that. It could also just be that the ant is trying to reposition the larvae, not just bite it to slow its growth (is that even possible?).


#9 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted April 1 2021 - 4:37 AM

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You may also see them biting at a larvae, this is when a larvae is growing to fast and they are trying to stress it out to make it grow slower. It a common thing in many species.

I have never heard of that. It could also just be that the ant is trying to reposition the larvae, not just bite it to slow its growth (is that even possible?).

 

Yea species like camponotus bite at it but don't harm it so by doing that they stress it out to grow slower. I also have seen my p. occidentalis do this on a couple occasions.

 

You would know when you see it because like three ants are messing with one larvae and its probably gonna be a large larvae.


Edited by KitsAntVa, April 1 2021 - 4:38 AM.

We don’t talk about that

#10 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 1 2021 - 4:49 AM

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Where did you hear about that, Kit?
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#11 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted April 1 2021 - 4:54 AM

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You may also see them biting at a larvae, this is when a larvae is growing to fast and they are trying to stress it out to make it grow slower. It a common thing in many species.

I have never heard of that. It could also just be that the ant is trying to reposition the larvae, not just bite it to slow its growth (is that even possible?).

 

Yea species like camponotus bite at it but don't harm it so by doing that they stress it out to grow slower. I also have seen my p. occidentalis do this on a couple occasions.

 

You would know when you see it because like three ants are messing with one larvae and its probably gonna be a large larvae.

 

But why would ants want to slow the growth of their larvae? An ant colony's goal is to be as successful as possible and spread their genes, as with all organisms, so why would they inhibit their own growth when it is possible to succeed?


#12 Offline NickAnter - Posted April 1 2021 - 6:03 AM

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It is generally done to prevent the larvae from becoming alates, not necessarily to stop growing. It was mentioned on a thread similar to this a while ago.


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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#13 Offline KitsAntVa - Posted April 1 2021 - 6:03 AM

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Where did you hear about that, Kit?

I can't exactly tell you where I heard it because its just a bunch of different people saying it, ender ants made a video and said something about that in it. I've heard it from other people but I could be wrong. Ill see if I can get a video of my Pogonomyrmex doing it later, maybe they do it to decrease the chance of it being to large to handle or possibly turning into an alate.


We don’t talk about that

#14 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted April 1 2021 - 6:13 AM

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It is generally done to prevent the larvae from becoming alates, not necessarily to stop growing. It was mentioned on a thread similar to this a while ago.

I see. That makes more sense.


#15 Offline Dino - Posted April 1 2021 - 7:24 AM

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Yeah, Camponotus are really prone to doing this. I put them on the lowest end of the ant IQ scale.

Which ant is at the top of the IQ scale?


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#16 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted April 1 2021 - 7:32 AM

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Yeah, Camponotus are really prone to doing this. I put them on the lowest end of the ant IQ scale.

Which ant is at the top of the IQ scale?

 

Probably one of the Myrmecia species.


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#17 Offline ANTdrew - Posted April 1 2021 - 7:58 AM

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I’d also put all the invasive species that are smart enough to take over the planet.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#18 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted April 1 2021 - 8:12 AM

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Yeah, Camponotus are really prone to doing this. I put them on the lowest end of the ant IQ scale.

Which ant is at the top of the IQ scale?

 

Probably one of the Myrmecia species.

 

Are the more evolved ants dumber than the more primitive ones? Sure seems that way.


#19 Offline FSTP - Posted April 1 2021 - 9:17 AM

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That's some nice larvae eating footage you've captured.


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#20 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted April 1 2021 - 9:18 AM

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That's some nice larvae eating footage you've captured.

Haha it really is.


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