Army ants in Kentucky

[Valiant Champion]

I had read a little about United States army ants but had never thought they lived in Kentucky until last night. The species is known as Naivyrmyrmex nigrescens *spell*.

I noticed a dense column of ants averaging 1/4 to 1/8 inch in length moving along in column. What was so unusual is that they were all heading in one direction. So I followed them out and found instead of unique destination like a dead insect or some other treat, a rolling mass of ants probing out like the fingers of a hand or like an amoeba. They would probe out and hit an ant nest and in seconds come back out with pupae, larvae and eggs. Or they would find fleeing insects or other food morsels.

They even tangled with a yellow jacket nest. The yellow jackets were never at tremendous danger although I did watch some of the entrance guards being overcome by swarming ants.

After a probe either yielded its booty or was found not to have anything the ants which rolled in mass in column outward turned back in the same way to the main formation and then probed in another direction.

I also noted that none of the ants would head back to their hidden nest unless they had food of some kind.

[Elfdude]

Army ants are called army ants not because they're related but because of the way they hunt which is as you described a massive raid on neighboring food sources. They are predatory ants and will eat anything they can find, humans have even been swarmed by such raids although I don't know if they've ever been killed. There's army ants pretty much all over though.

[Valiant Champion]

these ants behave like tropical army ants in that they are nomadic, they have one queen and bud off once the colony grows to a certian size. Certianly not the same genera but definitely in the same subfamily as Eciton. They even form their temporary nest with the bodies of their workers according to the articles I have read. I am however curious about their winter habits.

[Celsius]

heres a fun thing to do. Get a shovel and and pick up an ant pile. Then throw it on or beside another. Watch the war begin.

[MathiasOfAthens]

Dont throw it on the other one. Set it down next to the other one so both sides have a fair start.

[Valiant Champion]

It would be interesting to introduce this native ant into the urban envirment where it could control the little black ant population. This species may very well be a partial cause as to why the little black ant does not fair well in rural settings.

[Darkhorse]

It would be interesting to introduce this native ant into the urban envirment where it could control the little black ant population. This species may very well be a partial cause as to why the little black ant does not fair well in rural settings.

Your sig is so apt for this topic. Like they are aiming at the unstoppable ants or something

[chamaeleo]

I had read a little about United States army ants but had never thought they lived in Kentucky until last night. The species is known as Naivyrmyrmex nigrescens *spell*.
They would probe out and hit an ant nest and in seconds come back out with pupae, larvae and eggs.

I wonder if this species enslaves its captives, or just snacks on them?

You should check out Mark Moffett's latest, "Adventures Among Ants", if you haven't already.

[Armatus]

I have some carpenter ants I could use some help with.

[Bokks]

I have some carpenter ants I could use some help with.

That would be fighting fire with napalm. People have in fact been killed by ants, although none of the 1/4 inch breeds. South American ants are among the most dangerous: although the most prolific ant colonies are the African saifu ants which have killed many people, the South American breeds are the largest--several inches long--and can remain dormant for decades.

There have been rumors, anyway, that villages in the '50s were wiped out of all human habitation by them in the last major movement, but apparantly today the African saifu ants are the only ones recognized to have the ability to kill people... at least that's what the wiki says. I know that I've read about Argentine villages getting attacked before, but it was a long time ago and I can't find anything about that.

Anyway, you actually followed this line of army ants, Valiant Champion? I would not take their presence lightly: even if American ants aren't known to have killed anyone they can certainly hurt you a great deal if they can get at you.

Fun fact: the weight of all the humans on the earth put together and the weight of all the ants on the earth put together weigh the same... if not slightly in favor of the ants. O.o makes you really wonder what's under your feet...

[the_mango55]

Fun fact: the weight of all the humans on the earth put together and the weight of all the ants on the earth put together weigh the same... if not slightly in favor of the ants. O.o makes you really wonder what's under your feet...

Actually more than that, ants have been estimated to possibly make up 15-25% of ALL animal biomass. They are by far the most numerous animals on the planet.

[cpdwane]

Actually more than that, ants have been estimated to possibly make up 15-25% of ALL animal biomass. They are by far the most numerous animals on the planet.

I'd have said only land animal biomass actually, but otherwise it's probably correct.

This is a pretty amazing video of the contents of a very large ant colony. I think the most interesting part is the colony at the end though, which is so small it fits into an acorn. Ants cannot fail to amaze.

[Kamos]

Ants of conquest.

heres a fun thing to do. Get a shovel and and pick up an ant pile. Then throw it on or beside another. Watch the war begin.

I've seen that, your typical Red ant vs Black ants battle. Interesting stuff actually and it lasted for days as I observed for a little bit every day. I swear the final battle seemed like a trap by the Black ants though. A small diversion force lured out the main force of Reds meanwhile I saw the main Black column circling around and attacking the primary Red colony.
Then a couple of toads hopped up and destroyed both armies.

I have some carpenter ants I could use some help with.

You would think the craftsants wouldn't stand a chance but they're actually...
SUICIDE BOMBERS


http://news.discovery.com/animals/ph...etonating.html

[Armatus]

If you guys want I'll take some pictures of them, I've already declared war.

[Valiant Champion]

An image of what the ones I saw look like.

Slave making ants are either formica sanguinea spp. or polygerus sp. ants. Both from the subfamily formicinae. Of which I have witnessed many formica sanguinea spp. ants in raids which are very interesting.

These ants seem to be from either myrmecinae or dorylinae.

They performed an action of trying to sting me when I allowed them onto my finger but I felt no sting. There small size must make their sting (if any) not long enough to be painful. Of course this would contradict my experience with fire ants which are not very large yet can leave a painful sting.

I would wish one day to see polygerus rufescens make a slave raid as I have read they behave much like an army ant column like I witnessed that evening. I dug up a nest once and kept some in captivity. The workers are all warrior. Their jaws are like two sickles coming together so that they can rapidly kill other ants or enemies. Of course they are not able to feed themselves due to their specialization and rely on their slaves to feed them.

Altogether Kentucky has a surprising sub-tropical variety of insects from Hercules beetles to giant dragonflys to giant Cicada killers advanced social insects like giant hornets, formica rufa spp. mound building ants and army ants.

[Vanoi]

All we have in South Carolina are aggressive fire ants. Those things are a nucience.

[Armatus]

Just think if Humans where hive minded? Just think what could be accomplished? Greater than all the ancient wonders in the world.

But on the other hand we'd have no philosophers.

[Ishoss]

All we would need was one crazy queen and all our achievements would be useless.

[chamaeleo]

One of my backyard species has gone too far, and now war has been declared.

They first pissed me off last Friday afternoon, a particularly hot and muggy day. I needed to cut down a ~30' tall tree in three pieces, starting in a crotch 15' up. I climbed a neighboring tree, hauled up an electric chainsaw, grabbed a convenient albeit poor quality limb and hung way out for a precarious pair of one-handed 6" cuts. Just as I positioned the saw for the first cut, I registered the first bites on my arm: the limb I was holding had erupted in a furious swarm of ants. I made my two cuts as quickly as I thought safe, somehow balancing the need to: not chop down into my outstretched leg, not get a bad angle and be struck by either of the 15' tree trunks, and not fall. All the while, enduring the little bastards' wrath.

Then, there was yesterday. Different colony, same belligerent species. I've been repairing my old adobe shed, and had been putting the final touches on the insulated double ceiling. The very last placement of OSB paneling stirred up a newly relocated colony, who must have moved into the still hardening mud of the parapet that I'd repaired last week. No bites, but to colonize my shed so closely in the wake of my repairs was just too much.

Tonight, I will be blowing powdered boric acid into every crevice, nook and cranny known by me to host these foul little beasties.

[Armatus]

I have to remove a tree in my yard too, but I'm going to pay to do it as it's pretty big and I have no chainsaw. I can tell the ants have been chewing it, and I've seen another perfectly healthy looking tree down the street not too far colapse in a storm we had recently due to being bored out by carpenter ants. I used to worry about termites, but these guys are probably just as bad if not badder. I've seen their winged sentinels and so I'm sure there's multiple communities all around.

The last pest guy I had come out didn't do anything but put some pebbles down my dog eat them instead... I don't know if I should call another pest company or what, I need to make sure whatever I use won't harm my dogs.