Post by Quah on Nov 9, 2009 2:06:30 GMT
I hope this post is not out of topic.
Many polymorphic ants species have what might be a "soldier" caste. these are typically a caste that is either larger and/or have larger heads and consequently larger mandibles.
Except for specialized species most of these 'soldiers" also doubled as a larger brother in the nest and are called on for handling larger task. Some are also utilized to store excess food while others are specifically summoned to tackle larger prey. So strictly speaking these majors are not true soldiers and that is why they are classified as major and super major rather than soldiers. Termites soldiers on the other hand are true soldier serving no other function except nest defense.
In my ant keeping experience I have observed small (minor) workers particularly seeking out their larger siblings to handle a task that they are unable to after trying unsuccessfully.
I have seen "soldiers" specifically summoned to carve out a leg of a cricket or grasshopper that the smaller minor workers are unable to. I have seen a minor worker summoned a major to move some brood out of the way so she could attend to a large larva about to pupate.
In nest defense or time of nest war, in many species all the workers participate but in some the task seems to be mostly delegated to the larger members. I have noticed in a few Pheidole species that I have kept before that the majors came out in full force while the bulk of minors actually retreated into the nest.
One thing is for sure with so many species out there, ants have over the millions of years adapted many varied strategies for species survival. That is what makes them so interesting.
Many polymorphic ants species have what might be a "soldier" caste. these are typically a caste that is either larger and/or have larger heads and consequently larger mandibles.
Except for specialized species most of these 'soldiers" also doubled as a larger brother in the nest and are called on for handling larger task. Some are also utilized to store excess food while others are specifically summoned to tackle larger prey. So strictly speaking these majors are not true soldiers and that is why they are classified as major and super major rather than soldiers. Termites soldiers on the other hand are true soldier serving no other function except nest defense.
In my ant keeping experience I have observed small (minor) workers particularly seeking out their larger siblings to handle a task that they are unable to after trying unsuccessfully.
I have seen "soldiers" specifically summoned to carve out a leg of a cricket or grasshopper that the smaller minor workers are unable to. I have seen a minor worker summoned a major to move some brood out of the way so she could attend to a large larva about to pupate.
In nest defense or time of nest war, in many species all the workers participate but in some the task seems to be mostly delegated to the larger members. I have noticed in a few Pheidole species that I have kept before that the majors came out in full force while the bulk of minors actually retreated into the nest.
One thing is for sure with so many species out there, ants have over the millions of years adapted many varied strategies for species survival. That is what makes them so interesting.