7 replies to this topic

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

In the last couple days i've come across a couple interesting science papers that related to ants and thought i'd share them.

this one is about how insects "see" in sent. They used blind clonal raider ants (Ooceraea biroi) as the test subjects. They alerted their DNA so when they were expressing in certain pheromones or sensing certain sents (alarms and al ram triggers) their antenna would fluoresce so they could id when they were sensing or expressing about something alarming.

Interesting they use this ant not just due to the specific heavy reliance on sent compared to other ants with vision, but also because:

"The process was helped by the animals’ unique biology, Kronauer says. “They’re asexual, they don’t have queens, so we can basically clonally propagate any transgenic insertion from any individual.”"

So big new learning for me as i didn't even know such ants existed.
https://www.nature.c...86-023-00106-0?

 

 

 

And this one is an article about a physics theory, active mater, and how it helps explain fire ant behavior. Or to say the behavior of a dense matter state, where a >X density of fire ants has a measurable increase on the rate at which they preform group activities, like how fast they form into their group into a pillar or raft when needed.

 

https://phys.org/new...-behavior.html?

 

 

 

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

Another recent discovery about some ants. Not yet peer reviewed but interesting one about a particular parasite and its influence on the ants.

Though i must say the headline on it suggests that Carly Cassella may not have read all the way to the end to find out how things end up for the infected ants.

 

https://www.sciencea...ds-pretty-great

Edited by Full_Frontal_Yeti, June 19 2023 - 7:41 AM.

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

Ants that use ANTibiotics.

 

Summary:

The African Matabele ants (Megaponera analis) are often injured in fights with termites. Their conspecifics recognize when the wounds become infected and initiate antibiotic treatment.

 

An antibiotic the ants produce themselves.

 

And now we finally know why we call this form of medicine, Antibiotics.

 

https://www.scienced...40102142044.htm

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

Ants getting jacked up on caffeine find food faster. Though a little dark on the effort behind it for us i suppose. It it is interesting that "intermediate doses of caffeine actually boost learning" which is how they get the food faster. It's not a race to it first but how much you get over time. They recall the path back more accurately more quickly.

 

https://scitechdaily...n-pest-control/

[kalimant]

Ants getting jacked up on caffeine find food faster. Though a little dark on the effort behind it for us i suppose. It it is interesting that "intermediate doses of caffeine actually boost learning" which is how they get the food faster. It's not a race to it first but how much you get over time. They recall the path back more accurately more quickly.

 

https://scitechdaily...n-pest-control/

 

The pic they use is not of argentine ants, though the study is geared towards that species.

Also, when I first read this I was like...so what? lol So I guess caffeine affects them just like it does us.

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

And another interesting find on ants.

 

https://www.npr.org/...ing-amputations

 

On Camponotus floridanus specifically.

good read. here's a teaser

 

 

"Interestingly, ants would only perform an amputation when an injury was high up on an ant’s leg, close to the middle of its body. Wounds lower down on the leg didn’t elicit this treatment, although ants would lick at the injuries.

That observation prompted Frank’s team to try performing amputations on ants with lower leg injuries that had been infected with bacteria. They found that the ants always died.
~
The fact that ants only perform amputations in certain circumstances is “really cool,” says Kronauer."

 

 

read the full article to find out why.

Edited by Full_Frontal_Yeti, July 2 2024 - 9:45 AM.

[Stubyvast]

Ants getting jacked up on caffeine find food faster. Though a little dark on the effort behind it for us i suppose. It it is interesting that "intermediate doses of caffeine actually boost learning" which is how they get the food faster. It's not a race to it first but how much you get over time. They recall the path back more accurately more quickly.

 

https://scitechdaily...n-pest-control/

Wow I guess I'll just refill some of those sugar-water feeders with coffee then...

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

Ok this one is not about ants, but it is about termites.

And as we have a few keepers here, which i'm glad for as they made termites interesting for me.

https://www.eurekale...eleases/1056235

 

They have finalized a recent full redo of termite classification. Placing them on the branch to be in the cockroach family.