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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2011 23:48:58 GMT 1
what ant colony with soilders ants would be the easyest to look after ?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 4:21:05 GMT 1
Pheidole, Messor, or Camponotus would work.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 8:09:02 GMT 1
Messor Barbarus. They wont have the Super Majors for about 2 years, but they will have medias and Majors and media majors
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Post by Myrm on Nov 17, 2011 8:11:54 GMT 1
Messor Barbarus. They wont have the Super Majors for about 2 years, but they will have medias and Majors and media majors Yes. Messor do not have a true soldier caste as some other species do.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 8:19:11 GMT 1
I thought Camponatus had majors not soilders?
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Post by Myrm on Nov 17, 2011 8:51:30 GMT 1
I thought Camponatus had majors not soilders? Yes, that is vary true. So out of the original 3 that somebody listed, only 1 of them have true soldiers (Pheidole.)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 8:53:54 GMT 1
But MAJORS srill look really cool.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 9:02:00 GMT 1
Yeah, and Messors Super Majors look just like Soilders. They are brilliant ants!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 20:03:47 GMT 1
The word "soldier" is bit of a layman's term for major. If you want to have soldier refer to castes of ants that are meant for combat, then Camponotus fits the bill somewhat; better than Pheidole or Messor, since those majors mostly involve themselves with carrying heavy loads and crushing seeds. Pheidole is so diverse that there certainly ARE majors devoted to combat and predation, but the non-tropical varieties are mostly specialized as seed-harvesters, and have timid majors.
Studies have shown that the number of Camponotus majors is proportionate to the frequency and proximity of rival ant nests, which suggests that their majors primarily serve a combative role. I don't know if the same research has been carried out for these other genera, but it's likely that all majors have some higher capacity as nest defenders.
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Post by Myrm on Nov 17, 2011 20:22:42 GMT 1
I think the dividing line between "Majors" and "Soldiers" is their function within the colony. Majors appear to be workers with larger attributes. Though they carry out normal worker roles in their day-to-day work, they also are a first line of defence as required, whereas Soldiers are a more specialised caste of ant designed primarily, often solely for defence work without the worker-related tasks.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 21:31:42 GMT 1
so witch would be the best for getting pray and looking after?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 21:32:54 GMT 1
Messor; Seeds
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2011 22:06:15 GMT 1
I don't think that definition applies to very many ants. To the best of my knowledge majors serve a strong role in defense, but the features that make them good combatants (namely size and head proportions) also give them effective roles in foraging and the processing of food. Other than the majors of Ecitoninae and Dorylinae, I don't believe the strategies of many ants can afford to have majors who don't involve themselves in foraging or some other domestic chore.
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Post by Myrm on Nov 17, 2011 22:12:21 GMT 1
To the best of my knowledge majors serve a strong role in defense,...I don't believe the strategies of many ants can afford to have majors who don't involve themselves in foraging or some other domestic chore. That's what I said, is it not? Majors are for defence but carry out worker roles too. Leaf Cutter soldier, for example, do not carry out the major part of a worker ant's day-to-day role, which is leaf cutting and transporting the leaves back to the nest. Yes, some soldiers may carry out some worker-related tasks but nowhere near to the extent that the workers themselves do.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2011 4:55:12 GMT 1
Well, my point being that I think people understand "soldiers" and "majors" to be synonymous, since instances of a purely militaristic caste are so rare.
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