Comments on: Mysteries of the Insect World http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:33:20 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Tyrone Slothrop http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-69214 Tyrone Slothrop Sun, 24 Apr 2005 15:02:55 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-69214 My stepfather, an entomologist, suggests the following: The ants waving their abdomens around sound like Crematogaster or some other genus exhibiting a standard defensive posture. Mandibles aren't the only end of the ant that's useful for defense. But the insects he describes shedding their wings don't sound like nats at all, but rather termites which are sometimes called "white ants". The winge of the termite reproductive are designed with a break-off line so that the insect can fly , if poorly, land, and then neatly walk away from its wings. Because male and female termites can mate repeatedly (unlike ants) the loss of ones wings should not be seen as the end of life, or reproductive failure. Though of course many would-be colony founders are eaten before they get anywhere. My stepfather, an entomologist, suggests the following:

The ants waving their abdomens around sound like Crematogaster or some other genus exhibiting a standard defensive posture. Mandibles aren’t the only end of the ant that’s useful for defense. But the insects he describes shedding their wings don’t sound like nats at all, but rather termites which are sometimes called “white ants”. The winge of the termite reproductive are designed with a break-off line so that the insect can fly , if poorly, land, and then neatly walk away from its wings. Because male and female termites can mate repeatedly (unlike ants) the loss of ones wings should not be seen as the end of life, or reproductive failure. Though of course many would-be colony founders are eaten before they get anywhere.

]]> By: Mrs Tilton http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68791 Mrs Tilton Thu, 21 Apr 2005 10:32:33 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68791 Tritto on Hölldobler and Wilson. Love the thing myself, but some might find that it is to ants what <em>Moby Dick</em> is to whales: it will tell you more about them than you wanted to know (unless perhaps you are an entomologist). If that's the case, you might prefer their <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0674485262/104-7576806-1613538?v=glance" rel="nofollow"><em>Journey to the Ants</em></a>, which is addressed more to curious laity than to the priesthood. Alas, I have nothing to add to what blueshoe and Danny Yee say about the belly-waving, other than to suppose the behaviour might facilitate dispersal of chemical alarm and aggression signals (ants make much use of such signals). A woman once complianed to Ed Wilson that her house had been invaded by ants, and asked him what she should do about it. 'Get a magnifying glass,' was his advice (and no, I don't think he was suggesting she ignite them with concentrated sunlight). I envy you your exotic infestors. We suffered an ant invasion one year, but it was plain boring old <em>Lasius niger</em>. I did hold a few up to the loupe (which is how, with the help of Stresemann's <em>Exkursionsfauna</em>, I was able to determine the species). Didn't burn any of them, though. Tritto on Hölldobler and Wilson. Love the thing myself, but some might find that it is to ants what Moby Dick is to whales: it will tell you more about them than you wanted to know (unless perhaps you are an entomologist). If that’s the case, you might prefer their Journey to the Ants, which is addressed more to curious laity than to the priesthood. Alas, I have nothing to add to what blueshoe and Danny Yee say about the belly-waving, other than to suppose the behaviour might facilitate dispersal of chemical alarm and aggression signals (ants make much use of such signals).

A woman once complianed to Ed Wilson that her house had been invaded by ants, and asked him what she should do about it. ‘Get a magnifying glass,’ was his advice (and no, I don’t think he was suggesting she ignite them with concentrated sunlight). I envy you your exotic infestors. We suffered an ant invasion one year, but it was plain boring old Lasius niger. I did hold a few up to the loupe (which is how, with the help of Stresemann’s Exkursionsfauna, I was able to determine the species). Didn’t burn any of them, though.

]]> By: Danny Yee http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68740 Danny Yee Thu, 21 Apr 2005 00:48:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68740 I second the recommendation for <a href="http://dannyreviews.com/h/Ants.html" rel="nofollow">Holldobler and Wilson’s The Ants</a> (link is to my review), but in this case I can't find anything more useful than blueshoe did in it. I second the recommendation for Holldobler and Wilson’s The Ants (link is to my review), but in this case I can’t find anything more useful than blueshoe did in it.

]]> By: Tom T. http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68731 Tom T. Wed, 20 Apr 2005 23:32:41 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68731 Be mindful. Doesn't Singapore impose a fine for failing to clean up after one's ants? Be mindful. Doesn’t Singapore impose a fine for failing to clean up after one’s ants?

]]> By: yabonn http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68730 yabonn Wed, 20 Apr 2005 23:29:21 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68730 I'd bet on a beacon-swarm, trying to reach the mothership. I’d bet on a beacon-swarm, trying to reach the mothership.

]]> By: Gillian http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68724 Gillian Wed, 20 Apr 2005 22:10:05 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68724 Teflon tape? That's brilliant. It's teflon. Yet it sticks! I wonder if that is how they get it to stay on the frying pans. Teflon tape? That’s brilliant. It’s teflon. Yet it sticks! I wonder if that is how they get it to stay on the frying pans.

]]> By: todd. http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68709 todd. Wed, 20 Apr 2005 20:42:33 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68709 Were you making a funny, or was that actually a hint from Heloise? Were you making a funny, or was that actually a hint from Heloise?

]]> By: Troutsky http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68687 Troutsky Wed, 20 Apr 2005 18:56:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68687 Proving once again Darwins common ancestor theory, you can bet they were either fighting, feeding or fucking. Proving once again Darwins common ancestor theory, you can bet they were either fighting, feeding or fucking.

]]> By: Heloise http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68684 Heloise Wed, 20 Apr 2005 18:31:09 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68684 Most ants can't get past a barrier of Teflon tape on a vertical surface, and mosquitoes don't breed in it. Most ants can’t get past a barrier of Teflon tape on a vertical surface, and mosquitoes don’t breed in it.

]]> By: Dr Pretorius http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68680 Dr Pretorius Wed, 20 Apr 2005 18:05:27 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68680 The last time I lived in a place with breeder swarms we just ate the darn things. You pluck off the wings, put them in a skillet over a high heat and wait till they stop running around. They taste kind of like pecans, as I recall. Your mileage may vary, of course, as I suspect that you're dealing with a different species. The last time I lived in a place with breeder swarms we just ate the darn things. You pluck off the wings, put them in a skillet over a high heat and wait till they stop running around. They taste kind of like pecans, as I recall. Your mileage may vary, of course, as I suspect that you’re dealing with a different species.

]]> By: eudoxis http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68676 eudoxis Wed, 20 Apr 2005 17:48:50 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68676 There are ants, like the <i>Liometopum apiculatum </i> that are known to be highly aggessive defenders of nests and food sources. There may have been something sweet like a spilled drink on top of the wall and whenever someone came near, the ants would adopt an aggressive posture to defend the food. There are ants, like the Liometopum apiculatum that are known to be highly aggessive defenders of nests and food sources. There may have been something sweet like a spilled drink on top of the wall and whenever someone came near, the ants would adopt an aggressive posture to defend the food.

]]> By: blueshoe http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68668 blueshoe Wed, 20 Apr 2005 17:23:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68668 Librarian here, skimming Holldobler and Wilson's The Ants (tremendous reference book). A raised abdomen is typically an aggressive display. The ants could be assembling to raid a rival colony. If so they might be spraying pheromones to confuse and subdue the rival. Or they could be assembling to fend off a raid by a rival colony--alien workers may recently have traipsed through the area, laying down some funk, drawing a line in the sand as it were. It seems likely the group you saw has its nest within the wall. I don't know that an interpretation of combat readiness squares with the amount of time you witnessed the behavior, and I'm not sure you can rule out an exercise in temperature regulation, given the group's relatively calm demeanor. Apparently ants sometimes mass for the hell of it. Were their mandibles opening and closing? If so could lend weight to an offensive or defensive purpose. Librarian here, skimming Holldobler and Wilson’s The Ants (tremendous reference book). A raised abdomen is typically an aggressive display. The ants could be assembling to raid a rival colony. If so they might be spraying pheromones to confuse and subdue the rival. Or they could be assembling to fend off a raid by a rival colony—alien workers may recently have traipsed through the area, laying down some funk, drawing a line in the sand as it were. It seems likely the group you saw has its nest within the wall.

I don’t know that an interpretation of combat readiness squares with the amount of time you witnessed the behavior, and I’m not sure you can rule out an exercise in temperature regulation, given the group’s relatively calm demeanor. Apparently ants sometimes mass for the hell of it.
Were their mandibles opening and closing? If so could lend weight to an offensive or defensive purpose.

]]> By: Barry http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68662 Barry Wed, 20 Apr 2005 17:01:46 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68662 Belle, just put something in the water so that the mosquitoes couldn't breed. Lots of salt, for example. That'd probably do for the ants, as well. I'd suggest *lots* of salt, because Murphy's Law will cause any salt-water mosquito in ten miles to head straight for Zoe's bedroom, knowing that it can breed freely. Belle, just put something in the water so that the mosquitoes couldn’t breed. Lots of salt, for example. That’d probably do for the ants, as well. I’d suggest lots of salt, because Murphy’s Law will cause any salt-water mosquito in ten miles to head straight for Zoe’s bedroom, knowing that it can breed freely.

]]> By: Belle Waring http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68659 Belle Waring Wed, 20 Apr 2005 16:21:25 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68659 when Zoe was little we had more of an ant problem, not having come around to the whole "get everything drenched in poison" idea. we had to put each leg of her crib in a dish of water to keep the ants from coming up and biting her. and we had to change the water every day so that mosquitoes wouldn't breed in it. ah, the tropics. but c'mon, entomologists, whassup? when Zoe was little we had more of an ant problem, not having come around to the whole “get everything drenched in poison” idea. we had to put each leg of her crib in a dish of water to keep the ants from coming up and biting her. and we had to change the water every day so that mosquitoes wouldn’t breed in it. ah, the tropics. but c’mon, entomologists, whassup?

]]> By: goesh http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/comment-page-1/#comment-68655 goesh Wed, 20 Apr 2005 16:08:37 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2005/04/20/mysteries-of-the-insect-world/#comment-68655 For a second there I thought you were talking about the Democrats after Bush was elected For a second there I thought you were talking about the Democrats after Bush was elected

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