This is going to mess with your heads!!

[Acromyrmexbob]

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!

[Formica123]

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

[Britishants.com]

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

[Acromyrmexbob]

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.

[Deansie26]

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?

[Magic]

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

[Bitterlime]

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!

[Acromyrmexbob]

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.