Ants Again ?? | Insectile Worlds

 

Myrmecocystus mimicus, also known as Honey pot ants are a species of ants that live in mostly arid regions with little to no rainfall and prefer sandy (or) loamy soils. The striking feature of these is the fact that few select, healthy and large ants are turned into alive storages of food. These are called the "Repletes". They take nectar and other juicy foods from other ants of the colony and store them in their crop. They have special valves which prevents the food from entering the stomach where it would be digested.

Shortly after their birth, new ants are given their job each including storing food in their crop. Their crop and membranes start to stretch and expand, when it gets full to accommodate more food. They are extremely helpful when the food is scarce. These replete have no other thing to do. They just regurgitate the food to their companions when necessary. They Cling on to the roof of their nest with the help of their legs, avoiding blockage of the passages.

These are the Polyergus Mexicanus, also known as kidnapper ants. They steal the larvae of other ant species from their nest from nearby colonies and cover those larvae in secretions. As the larvae grow into adults, due to the smell of secretions present from their larval stage they recognise the nest of their masters as theirs. They think they are with their own family. The Kidnapper ants unlike any general impression of an ant just sit idle, lounging as their captives do all the work including bringing the food and feeding them to mouth !!

These are the Oecophylla Smaragdina, a.k.a. the weaver ants, they make their nest with leaves. By pulling the ants which are in turn holding the edge of the leave with their extremely strong mandibles. Together they mend the leave in an astounding way to make their beautiful home.

I hope that you enjoyed and learned something new today also help spread this blog encouraging me to write more and more simplified Zoology for you !!

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J. Maanavendra roy,
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