Architectural Wonders From Ants

[Solid Lifters]

This theme, presented in our "Interesting Video Finds" thread, generated enough discussion and interest that it's disruptive to the Video Finds thread, and of sufficient interest to have its own thread. Those posts have been moved here in their own thread. - Empath

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ2jMZ-gaI

Awesome stuff! And, a great way to get rid of ants! :thumbsup:

 

[ven]

 

[Cataract]

Re: Interesting Video Finds Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ2jMZ-gaI

Awesome stuff! And, a great way to get rid of ants! :thumbsup:

That's very nice, but *AHEM*...



I can't find the complete documentary, but there was some extremely interesting info in it; they started by following ants, studying their habits, the outside of their colonies and then poured concrete down an abandoned colony. Then they described how the ants cultivated fungus and raised termites inside the colony (as slaves for some purpose if I remember correctly). I believe the whole excavated colony was as big as a house!

 

[ven]

Re: Interesting Video Finds Part 3

Holy........ very interesting Cataract :twothumbs,the alloy one would fit on mantle piece a little easier:laughing:

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

"Everything looks like it has been designed by an architect, a single mind." Holy indeed.

~ Chance

 

[dc38]

Re: Interesting Video Finds Part 3

"Everything looks like it has been designed by an architect, a single mind." Holy indeed.

~ Chance

Unfortunately, many people will only correlate that single mind to the ant queen...

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Behind every successful man, there stands a woman.

~ C. G.

 

[Cataract]

Thanks guys, I can't take the credit for it, but that casting sure brought the memory up instantly. Your reactions are as priceless as mine when I saw the original documentary (I almost spit out my drink and went oo.

Unfortunately, many people will only correlate that single mind to the ant queen...

Yea, the Queen just goes to lay down and lay eggs the second the hole is big enough. Once the colony is big enough, they move her and the eggs to a deeper and bigger chamber for obvious reasons. No one knows exactly how they do all that, but I believe there are "architect" ants in such a colony -can't remember exactly, but I'd definitely watch the entire documentary again if I could find it.

I also vaguely remember they make some form of dew or honey to nourish the ants in larvae stage (that might just be the purpose for raising the termites). All larvae are nourished by hand, and all the eggs moved by some of the workers that I can remember. I got the feeling of peering into what happens in the queen's chamber in Aliens when no one is around. They had to get the inspiration from somewhere...

 

[jtr1962]

Awesome stuff! And, a great way to get rid of ants! :thumbsup:

Well, he claims to have only done castings at abandoned colonies of which I'm sure there are no shortages. Ants are amazing creatures in their own right. Each ant does the function it was made for, without any leadership, and yet the life in the colony proceeds in an orderly fashion beneficial to all.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Cataract,

That, :hahaha: That's very nice, but *AHEM*... is comedy gold! :thumbsup:

~ Chance

 

[Cataract]

Cataract,

That, :hahaha: That's very nice, but *AHEM*... is comedy gold! :thumbsup:

~ Chance

Doing my best to keep people awake....

All right, Empath indirectly forced me to watch some more of this kinda stuff:


Not so interesting videos when viewed individually, but am I the only one to notice a pattern???



Ant Colony Video Series #5 of 6:


Seems like I was not the only one to think of Aliens when seeing ants in action:

 

[zold]

I'd have a real hard time feeling bad for fire ants. They are certainly one of the more evil little creatures to walk the face of the earth. That said, it is amazing how big the sculpture is, based on the little pile of dirt at the top.

 

[Norm]

The Incredible Physics of Ants



Ants Can Incredibly Flow Like Liquid Or Bunch Together Into A Solid

Norm

 

[Cataract]

that was both very interesting and disgusting at the same time. I didn't know ants would pour like a syrup, I thought they would rather obey the laws of granularity.

Ant colony castings are used for actual research (ant were sacrificed, though):



Some more interesting castings: