Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Do Camponotus even go to War?


  • Please log in to reply
4 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Redmoth27 - Posted September 17 2022 - 9:05 AM

Redmoth27

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 19 posts

I have a colony of them in my front yard and they only come out at night. They're some of the laziest ants I've ever seen. When I put food down at night and roaches from the bushes come, their majors don't bother killing them. This got me wondering, if they're this lazy do they even go to war? Do camponotus go to war usually or is it super rare? Are the majors only for defense?



#2 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 17 2022 - 9:28 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,376 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Well, they are one of the largest genera in the world, so I don’t think you can generalize. Our temperate ones are probably more defensive in nature.
  • Ants_Dakota likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#3 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted September 19 2022 - 5:08 AM

Ants_Dakota

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,059 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

From my experience, it seems that because camponotus ants each take lots of resources to make, they don't bother to attack much for fear of losing that ant. Even other insects that i put near them. Also finding large colonies of camponotus, especially around here, is pretty hard. 


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)


#4 Offline T.C. - Posted September 19 2022 - 7:39 AM

T.C.

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,059 posts
I've seen camponotus go to to war on logging sites where their nests where put in close proximity. Your assumption of them being more defensive is correct. I can tell you that they're the most sturdy of species. I put a camponotus major in with my Pogonomyrmex, and it lasted 15 minutes before dying. That's not a long time but when you get stung a hundred times and are getting dismembered, that's pretty good.
“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#5 Offline LowQualityAnts - Posted October 14 2022 - 8:28 PM

LowQualityAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 258 posts
  • LocationAtlanta, Georgia
I feel like Camponotus majors server more of a utility purpose in most species. They can bore into wood and cut food better than workers, but they still defend the colony.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users