Post Aqaeq9qbDZg7VBhUDg by futurebird@sauropods.win
(DIR) More posts by futurebird@sauropods.win
(DIR) Post #AqadPLoQWaN6q0L0PQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-29T23:43:08Z
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The Ant of the day is "Blepharidatta conops" These ants live in Brazil and use their heads like doors... but underground! There are many species of ants that block their nest entrance with their heads ... but this is different. Conops nests can be spotted by the carcass ring the workers carefully arrange around the nest opening. I can't find any photos of this but it sounds amazing. https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Blepharidatta_conopsEveryone knows about Colobopsis and the Turtle ants... but this is wild!
(DIR) Post #Aqadet4h8caALKM5xo by sgillies@mastodon.social
2025-01-29T23:45:40Z
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@futurebird I would guess that this is one of their favorite albums: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Head_on_the_Door.
(DIR) Post #AqadkTPvRf9UVMww5o by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-29T23:46:54Z
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@PetraOleum To keep out intruders!
(DIR) Post #Aqae7tV6dK363uXZku by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-29T23:51:09Z
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They are close cousins of leaf cutter ants... did they forget how to farm fungus? Or is this what leaf cutters were like before they started doing that?They do make chambers with persistent purposes in their nests. But these ants mostly eat other insects, they aren't even into nectar very much. Let alone farming...
(DIR) Post #Aqaeq9qbDZg7VBhUDg by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-29T23:59:08Z
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@PetraOleum They do bring a lot of dead insects inside since they mostly eat other bugs. So... maybe. It seems only the queens chamber gets the door head treatment since only the queen has the door head feature.
(DIR) Post #AqafV8Z4tKTrOg2sBk by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-30T00:06:32Z
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@haqistan It's an excellent resource. I use it every day!