Post AuyCIuXQCS5Bl3vnIO by mikeolson@mastodon.social
(DIR) More posts by mikeolson@mastodon.social
(DIR) Post #AuyBg4CwJYuKSDpR3Y by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-06-09T23:53:50Z
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Reading a book about a naturalist in Costa Rica in the 70s observing ants. He frames the question of ant communication as "do they *mostly* use stridulations (sounds) or do they use antennae tapping or do they use pheromones?" He concludes that ant communication is "primarily pheromones" and this isn't exactly *wrong* The thing is the very ants he was observing were later found to use stridulations too. (Atta Cephalotes) The medium is the message and the medium is the ants themselves.
(DIR) Post #AuyBtUFWnrL0zBRFbM by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-06-09T23:56:17Z
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Ants read everything about each other and their environment. The way their sisters move, the food in their crops, they way they smell, the pheromones they release, what they are carrying, which way they are moving, the stridulations they make, all of it is part of gaining a sense of the local needs of the colony. All of it will change the decisions of each individual ant. So, it's not like there is a "way" that ants communicate. They are living information for their sisters.
(DIR) Post #AuyC7UAZtf82nBnYOW by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-06-09T23:58:51Z
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When I've messed with an ant and return here frustrated and scared from being trapped to her colony her president causes a visible disturbance. She must smell of things that don't belong. If she is upset, her sisters grow upset too. It spreads like a ripple, but if it's just one ant as she calms it's forgotten. But, if too many ants in one area are alarmed like that the whole colony may start to "boil."Everyone know what boiling ants looks like, but I think I should break it down.
(DIR) Post #AuyCHSXensnKdjLiAS by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-06-10T00:00:37Z
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When ant "boil" they are all moving, changing levels and postures, climbing and coming in and out of sheltered areas in a manner that alarms *my* vertebrate mind. I can only see opening and closing mandibles and it's impossible to focus on any one ant. A very effective defensive display set off by sufficient danger.
(DIR) Post #AuyCIuXQCS5Bl3vnIO by mikeolson@mastodon.social
2025-06-10T00:00:42Z
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@futurebird Does the colony exercise free will? How much response is programmatic due to stimuli, how much to something else?
(DIR) Post #AuyCaSi0PJ1GexFbqS by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-06-10T00:04:04Z
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@mikeolson Brother, I can't even tell you if I have any "free will" let alone a box of ants.
(DIR) Post #AuyCiknn1L3X5juUDo by mikeolson@mastodon.social
2025-06-10T00:05:32Z
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@futurebird see I want to generalize from the ants to us.
(DIR) Post #AuyCwGwyo0KeYueetE by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-06-10T00:08:01Z
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@mikeolson I don't have a proof, but I think individual ants make tiny ant choices. They do whatever they feel like based on the state of their sisters. I think this is the case because not all ants are the same. Some are bold, some scared more easily, some cautious, some always ready to bite and ask questions later.
(DIR) Post #AuyDhQyVLswRGNrADg by mikeolson@mastodon.social
2025-06-10T00:16:31Z
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@futurebirdCould be hardwired bold, hardwired scared, hardwired bitey, though, right? But I very much want to believe in tiny ant choices.
(DIR) Post #AuyE3XEUlXlL2hsHLc by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-06-10T00:20:31Z
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@leadore If they can't make it back to their home nest they will probably be killed by other insects or ants trying to find their way home.
(DIR) Post #AuyH5vjAxuM7SC3hlA by Moss@beige.party
2025-06-10T00:54:30Z
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@futurebird “Stridulater, aculeata”
(DIR) Post #AuyMmeFCLNYNS7E3iC by GeoWend@kosmos.social
2025-06-10T01:58:14Z
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@futurebird leaf cutters are fascinating...(we have them all over this area.)
(DIR) Post #AuyZeS6yrpciuZnwEC by Jestbill@mastodon.world
2025-06-10T04:22:27Z
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@futurebird @mikeolson If there were a standard, programmed response to every stimulus, a predator would eat them all.Random response makes for survival.I think Asimov taught me that.