Florida Carpenter Ant Behavior

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Questions and Answers

What unique behavior was recently discovered in Florida carpenter ants?

  • They use pheromones exclusively for communication.
  • They perform life-saving 'surgeries' on injured nestmates. (correct)
  • They migrate seasonally to different regions.
  • They build nests from various materials.

What is a distinguishing feature of Florida carpenter ants compared to some other ant species?

  • They have specialized glands for producing honey.
  • They lack glands that produce antimicrobial substances. (correct)
  • They only live in bare soil without any wood.
  • They are capable of flight like other ant species.

How did researchers conduct the study on the injury responses of Florida carpenter ants?

  • They brought ants to a lab and inflicted controlled injuries. (correct)
  • They observed interactions in a group setting without any injuries.
  • They observed ants in their natural habitat.
  • They used artificial nests made of plastic.

What was the method used by researchers to expose the ants' wounds to potential infections?

<p>They exposed the wounds to soil microbes. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which region are Florida carpenter ants primarily found?

<p>Southern United States (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason ants perform amputations on injured companions with femur injuries?

<p>It increases the likelihood of higher survival rates. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do ants differentiate their treatments for femur and tibia injuries?

<p>Based on the muscle tissue present in the injury. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the impact of hemolymph flow on the surgical decision-making of ants?

<p>Slower hemolymph flow allows for more time to perform surgery. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the survival rate of untreated ants with tibia injuries?

<p>10% (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What future research plans do scientists have regarding ant surgical procedures?

<p>Studying whether other ant species perform similar procedures. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Carpenter Ant Surgery

Florida carpenter ants perform surgical procedures on injured nestmates, a unique behavior.

Florida Carpenter Ant

A reddish-brown ant species found in rotting wood in the southern US.

Injury to Nestmates

Florida carpenter ants get injured while defending their nests from rivals.

Lack of Antimicrobial Substances

Unlike some other ant species, Florida carpenter ants do not have glands to produce substances that prevent infections.

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Lab Experiment

Researchers injured the legs of ants and exposed the wounds to microbes to observe their responses.

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Femur

The upper part of an insect's leg.

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Tibia

The lower part of an insect's leg.

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Ant Surgery

Ants perform complex surgical procedures on injured nestmates, varying treatments by injury type.

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Femur Injury Treatment

Ants remove the entire leg (amputation) in a procedure lasting over 40 minutes, resulting in a 90% survival rate.

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Tibia Injury Treatment

Ants clean the wound with their mouth (licking), saving 75% of the injured ants.

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Treatment Decision

Ants diagnose the injury and determine appropriate treatment based on hemolymph flow rate, muscle tissue amount, and infection status.

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Hemolymph Flow

Fluid analogous to blood in insects; its flow rate affects wound healing and treatment decision.

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Survival Rate Comparison

Untreated ants with femur injuries had a 40% survival rate, while untreated tibia injury ants' survival rate was only 10%.

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