A lot of ant species are very social. So social in fact that they’re called ‘eusocial’. But, even though the common conception involves a single queen leading her tightly organized colony, many social systems are possible. Even within a single species. For example, in the red fire ant Solenopsis invicta two different social organizations are […]
Tag Archives: Ant
Do animals possess empathy? A loaded question. A couple of recent studies have claimed they do (think of rescue rats and yawning dogs). But, as I asked in the post about the yawning dog study, is that really what is shown? A recent article in Biology Letters addresses this query. (See also the Oxford University […]
Some ant species farm. That is, they maintain fungal gardens or aphid herds, and in doing so, they sustain their food supply. Now, a new study suggests that a species of aphid-holding ants manages their herd(s) in ways that are eerily reminiscent of human farming practices. The ant species under consideration is the Yellow Meadow […]
