"Each month millions of Argentine
ants die along battlefronts that extend for miles around San Diego, where clashes occur with three other colonies in wars that may have been going on since the species arrived in the state a
century ago"
Some notes on ant warfare 🧵
Many are aware that a world war between Argentine ant supercolonies is currently underway, across multiple continents, and against multiple ant 'nations'.
Ant conflict differs from species to species and from scenario to scenario. Some use sheer numbers in tight phalanx-like organisations to swamp the enemy, which may include ants many times their individual size.
The species of the aggressor matters - when researchers placed a single dead slave-making ant into a slave-host colony for 5 mins, the response was extreme aggression against almost all neighbours for three days, most especially against slave-taking ants.
Treating known neighbours or strangers with more hostility is a strategic choice that ant colonies must make, and these choices often determine how aggressive a colony will be.
Ants that cannot afford huge losses with each battle might opt for ranged weapons such as chemical attacks or dropping stones onto the enemy's heads and nest entrances.
Slave making ants are usually outnumbered when they raid other nests. In order to successfully capture the brood to raise in their own nest they must pacify the defenders, which is often done using pheromones to sow confusion and discord amongst the ranks.
Certain mathematical models derived from human conflicts can explain the success of swamping the enemy with large numbers of disposable soldiers.
That said, some species prefer stronger individuals, and may even use personal champion style duels whilst fighting. Leaving the battlefield for the night and returning in the daylight has also been documented during large scale conflicts.
I may add some more notes as I read. Some of the papers go into marvellous detail on the tactics and change in fighting styles over many days of warfare.
The saga continues!
The battlefront moves to New Zealand and Japan!
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