Ant colonies have personality

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A new study has revealed that ant colonies guard their nests more courteously than others, suggesting that ant colonies actually have personalities. Trees that have more lively, hostile colonies have smaller amount of foliage damage, signifying that the colony personality determines if the plant will live or die. Researchers discovered that certain types of ants provide protection to the trees they live on from foraging animals and invading trailing plants. They also found that ant colonies differ in four different behavioral characters: trespasser response, leaf damage response, investigative tendency, and guarding behavior. Host plants of more lively, destructive colonies had not as much of leaf damage, signifying a connection between a colony’s nature and actual defense of its host. The plant’s health also affected colony behavior suggesting that they may be manipulating each other in a feedback loop.

gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ant-colonies-have-personality-randy-bilesky/?published=t

http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-ant-colonies-have-personality-1.23113068