Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

So, on the same note as the thread about Acros moving, another incident this morning, when I was looking after the colonies. One of the colonies has managed to move house again. But this time the bridge that formed led straight to a small Atta colony. So what happened? Was there a huge battle and a massive confrontation. No.... they just built their nests right next to each other and ignored each other. So this suggests some interesting behaviour that I am not sure has ever been looked at before!


Thats the Acromyrmex colony on the lid.


Thats the atta colony in the tub.


and thats the two together!

Wow! That's interesting, maybe this technique of keeping them together could be used in big public displays?

I don't know about you, Andrew, but you seem as if you have a few too many acro colonies.. Maybe it's time you have some away

Intriguing, mine go on raising parties when a bridge is formed!

Britishants.com wrote:Intriguing, mine go on raising parties when a bridge is formed!

It seems the determining factor over who raids who is size. Normally when two equal colonies face each other there is a standoff.

Wonder which would carry out a raid first?
Atta obviously get larger but the Acromyrmex might have an advantage initially with larger workers?
My talking mince?

Looks like they are neighbours now. Strange and interesting at the same time

That's really interesting! But as the Atta colony gets bigger it might pose a threat to the Acromyrmex colony and then they might fight!

I think the stalemate would persist until there was an advantage to one or the other to fight. Although the fungus is basically the same species I do not think one would raid to steal resources. It would be a territory thing. In nature if this happened I suspect that one or other would move. It is likely that there would be a constant standoff between the two colonies until either they fought or parted ways. In this artificial setup where neither want to be there and neither can move I think it would end in tears. Interesting stuff though. I think this behaviour is based on the fact that Leaf Cutters cannot convert living booty into protein. If they were carnivorous then there is a clear reason to attack. They can eat the larva and the workers. Being veggie produces these standoffs.