Why is Camponotus Pennsylvanicus so common?!
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- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: Why is Camponotus Pennsylvanicus so common?!
There is a lot of conjectural and anecdotal information being thrown around here. Ant morphology is not as cut and dry as "being bigger means that you are better at fighting". Camponotus majors are just specifically evolved to defend their nests against other ants, and perhaps small vertebrates.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
Re: Why is Camponotus Pennsylvanicus so common?!
Really? I thought they were for large prey, carrying heavy stuff, and heavy digging, etc. Where did you learn this? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just wonder where.Batspiderfish wrote:There is a lot of conjectural and anecdotal information being thrown around here. Ant morphology is not as cut and dry as "being bigger means that you are better at fighting". Camponotus majors are just specifically evolved to defend their nests against other ants, and perhaps small vertebrates.
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: Why is Camponotus Pennsylvanicus so common?!
I'm not saying that they don't do general foraging and nest maintenance, but their morphology lends itself to defense and food storage. What tasks an ant does for her colony is mostly determined by her age; only the old majors are foragers.MCWren wrote:Really? I thought they were for large prey, carrying heavy stuff, and heavy digging, etc. Where did you learn this? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just wonder where.Batspiderfish wrote:There is a lot of conjectural and anecdotal information being thrown around here. Ant morphology is not as cut and dry as "being bigger means that you are better at fighting". Camponotus majors are just specifically evolved to defend their nests against other ants, and perhaps small vertebrates.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
Re: Why is Camponotus Pennsylvanicus so common?!
I am just speculating, I don't know anything about ants to speak of. Could they be more likely to be able to live in human contact (like old buildings or wood piles or managed forests or whatever) so they are slightly selected for by nature?
Re: Why is Camponotus Pennsylvanicus so common?!
Maybe. Historically speaking, many animals (cows, sheep, dogs, cats) which have evolved to take advantage of human structures/contact tend to be more successful.SpeciesK wrote:I am just speculating, I don't know anything about ants to speak of. Could they be more likely to be able to live in human contact (like old buildings or wood piles or managed forests or whatever) so they are slightly selected for by nature?
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