Hello ,

For a long time, I have been struck speechless with the simple question: What is my favourite ant species? The reason I’m always bowled out by this question is not because it is unexpected, but the fact that I have never been able to choose a single favourite.

If I take aggression as a main trait for my favourite species, it would be a very tight contest between Tawny Balbyters (Camponotus fulvopilosus) and Pugnacious ants (Anoplolepis custodiens). Tawny balbyters will defend their nest and aggressively attack you if you venture to close, and with their size this is very unpleasant! Pugnacious ants lack the size, but what they lack in size they make up for in sheer numbers. Pugnacious ants often have multiple colonies that live near each other and that will cooperate with each other to subdue large prey or to drive off larger threats.

If we look at diet specialization it will have to be, without a doubt, Ringbum Millepede Munchers (Plectroctena mandibularis). Everything about the Millipede munchers is adapted in order to find, attack and prey on millipedes. Their mandibles are adapted to specifically grabbing onto and holding onto millipedes, while their stinger is long enough to penetrate in between the millepede’s segments to deliver a fatal sting. Their stocky build allows them enough power to take down a millipede up to four times their length single handily.

With the main character trait being nest specialization, it can’t be anything other than Weaver Ants (Oecophylla longinoda). They have overcome occasional flooding and adapted to live in very close proximity with their prey items, by building leaf nests. They weave the nests together using the larvae’s silk as a main binding material. This allows the weaver ants to utilize the entire forest canopy without the waste of energy to carry food all the way down to the forest floor after acquisition.

Alien looking! Well, that is simple, it must be Strumegenys! Why? Because they look like something that has escaped from the Star Trek universe!

I have been observing my colony of Troglodyte Trapjaw ants (Odontomachus troglodytes) over the last few weeks and their behaviour is very interesting. They will hunt down prey from strange angles, like hanging upside down on a leaf just close enough to get a mandible snap in to kill the prey, but far enough to be out of reach from the prey. They snap their mandibles at around 230km per hour, which is their main attack strategy for subduing prey. This mandible snap is not just fast, but also loud, being audible over five meters away. Witnessing all of this during feeding time is truly spectacular! Along with this they also build intricate tunnels and structures to hide away the nest’s true entrance. They carefully and thoughtfully explore their surrounding and will duck for cover as quickly as possible if they feel threatened in any way. Even though they avoid confrontation at all costs outside of the nest, they will aggressively defend their nest without hesitation, using their mandible snaps and stingers. It is this collection of traits that make the Troglodyte Trapjaw ants my current favourite species of all.

What is your favourite ant species? Or animal species if you aren’t into ants?

Weekly Top Shot: The Troglodyte Trapjaw Ant