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Thief ants steal—and eat—the young of other ants, decimating their populations | Science | AAAS
Even ants have to deal with pests. One of those is the pesky, poppy seed–size thief ant, which steals and eats the young of larger ants. A new study reveals such foraging exacts a heavy toll on other ant species, with damage so severe it can cascade up the entire food chain.
“It’s just staggering,” says Andrea Lucky, an ant systematist at the University of Florida, who was not involved with the work, but who now advises the author of the paper. “Thief ants are formidable predators.”
Scores of species of thief ants populate the New World. Most live underground, tunneling into the nests of larger ants and stealing young from ants up to 24 times their size. They spray a powerful venom to keep the adults at bay.
The thief ants appear to target some species more than others. When thief ant numbers declined, Pyramid ant (Dorymyrmex bureni) numbers almost doubled, while the nocturnal Nylanderia arenivaga ant had a 98% increase in workers. “This suggests that these predatory activities are highly complex and may have evolved over a long period of time,” Ohyama says, with some ants developing defenses against the thief ants.
Solenopsis molesta is the best known species of Solenopsis thief ants. These ants, which include the majority of species within the genus Solenopsis, get their names from their habit of nesting close to other ant nests, from which they steal food.
See: Solenopsis molesta - Wikipedia
The venom consists of pyrrolidine alkaloids.
Even ants have to deal with pests. One of those is the pesky, poppy seed–size thief ant, which steals and eats the young of larger ants. A new study reveals such foraging exacts a heavy toll on other ant species, with damage so severe it can cascade up the entire food chain.
“It’s just staggering,” says Andrea Lucky, an ant systematist at the University of Florida, who was not involved with the work, but who now advises the author of the paper. “Thief ants are formidable predators.”
Scores of species of thief ants populate the New World. Most live underground, tunneling into the nests of larger ants and stealing young from ants up to 24 times their size. They spray a powerful venom to keep the adults at bay.
The thief ants appear to target some species more than others. When thief ant numbers declined, Pyramid ant (Dorymyrmex bureni) numbers almost doubled, while the nocturnal Nylanderia arenivaga ant had a 98% increase in workers. “This suggests that these predatory activities are highly complex and may have evolved over a long period of time,” Ohyama says, with some ants developing defenses against the thief ants.
Solenopsis molesta is the best known species of Solenopsis thief ants. These ants, which include the majority of species within the genus Solenopsis, get their names from their habit of nesting close to other ant nests, from which they steal food.
See: Solenopsis molesta - Wikipedia
The venom consists of pyrrolidine alkaloids.
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