Ants vs termites - read description.
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- Опубліковано 11 лис 2020
- Uncut fotage of an agonistic confrontation between foraging Carebara marauder ants and a group of Macrotermes gilvus fungus growing termites (one major soldier and 6 minor soldiers), taking place in a petri dish positioned in a Carebara foraging swarm.
Here you can see how both how effective the swift slicing strikes of these soldiers are and appreciate what is likely their main weakness: flank vulnerability.
Their thick body structure and very large heads don't allow them to bend and curl like an ant, making reaching foes (especially small ones like these Carebara minors) that bite at ther middle and rear legs very problematic for them. This is primarily true for the major soldiers, who are much stronger but also more ponderous and less agile than minors. In fact, in these regard Macrotermes workers are much more "flexible".
However, we must remember that under more natural conditions these animals either guard nest/tunnel passages (both major and minors) and/or deploy in a phalanx-like formation to defend open-air foragers (mainly minors), vastly reducing the impact of their flank vulnerability and exposing only their deadly frontal arc to an invader.
- A.N.; Thailand.
really interesting the way the ants and termites uses their fangs in different ways. While ants seek to grab and dont let go because they are hunters, the termites use a motion that is really like a scissor attack, to damage while defending.
It is interesting to see how effective termite soldiers are when the odds are relatively even. This seldom occurs in nature. Ants truly rely on strength of numbers to hunt termites.
I have read all your comments and wow, thank you for spreading your knowledge about termites, the truth is that it is difficult to find information.
Two armies collide in an epic struggle. Except.... that the soldiers in both armies are completely blind. So you get a ridiculous mash up of bumping into each other by accident, exchanging bites and quickly moving on. The termite soldiers are clumsy and slow but the ants, consumed by rage, actually bite each other. The ant and termite generals would probably say that they can’t win any war because look at what we have to work with.
Ahahah, nice! But now, returning serious: it's true that these termites are blind and use vibrations and chemical cue to put toghether what's going on, but theese ants (Carebara cfr diversa / affinis) actually got fully functional and well developed eyes... they also are an highly aggressive, successfull and dominant ant species in ther habitatas notorious for its huge foraging swarms that attack pretty much everything in their path (well, except a column of Hospitalitermes termites, as even they know it's best not to mess with the thick phalanx of chemical-spewing soldiers that always defend such columns)...they weren't nicknamed "marauder ants" for nothing! Regarding them biting each other, i've observed multiple times recently or heavily wounded ants clasping on whatever passes by, regardless of its "allegiance", that's what happened here too. As you too noted, both the minor and the major termite soldiers (but especially the latters) are noticeably less agile than ants and much less capable of bending their bodies (in no small part due to their overdeveloped and hard head filled with mandible-moving muscles), but their fast lunging frontal attacks are truly deadly for ants, as these major soldiers can easily cut a weaver (Oecophylla) or trap-jaw (Odontomachus) in multiple pieces with a series of swift strikes (along slicing right through human flesh to draw blood, as i experienced multiple times)! In a more natural situation, their reduced agility and speed is neutralized by them fighting in the narrow passages of their nests or in a well organized phalanx-style line of soldier (for example when they must protect open-foraging workers or a large opening in the mound), where they cover each other's flanks and expose to their foes only a wall of armored heads and slicing jaws... i think both generals could be proud of their troops indeed! Said so, here the Carebara didn't show that much interest on the termites and so we only have some "skirmishes", i do have much more eventful vids but before uploading them i would like to learn to put a commentary directly on the screen to allow wiewers to easily learn more about what's going and eliminate the need of a long and tedious description under the vid.
This ytuber actually knows what they're talking about and analyses the behaviour well in the description. It is true that termite soldier caste flanks are very vulnerable but he also mentions that they cover these weaknesses by cooperating
That soldier termite is a monster
Damn I would expect the termite soldiers to be unstoppable in the cramped tunnels of the termite nest where the mobility and numbers advantage of the ants could not be effectively deployed.
In such situation they would indeed perform excellently. A much more extreme example of efficiency increse while fighting in their own nest or galleries would be snapping species like Termes and Pericapritermes: their soldiers are ungainly, clumsy and very flank vulnerable (though still capable of delivering extremely powerful frontal blows) in the open due to their long and overdeveloped heads and mandibles, but when they defend the narrow tunnels that connects their nests' small chambers (uncoincidentally just a bit wider than the diameter of their own heads ) they make for truly formidable (and deadly) guardians even in extremely low numbers, both against ants and other competing termites. A similar (but maybe even more extreme) situation also applies to strongly phragmotic genera like Cryptotermes, whose soldier extremely armored head work just like a (biting) plug to deny foreigners access to the gallery they defend.
That is exactly the strategy of termite soldiers
its amazing to see, how these super blind termites trapped in very big bodies can fight of Ants that size
I love how both of the super magers from each army are struggling with the small soldiers from each side just funny to watch
I wonder if the major soldiers are primarily against large vertebrate predators like anteaters. I bet the major solider there is much more likely to be able to cut into thick skin then the little ones. The minor ones appear to be a better investment against more nimble ants, (Just eyeballing it, I bet the major soldier has 4 times the mass of the minor with comparable "cost" to the colony.
Despite being a rather small Macrotermes, major soldiers of this species can indeed cut thorough human skin and draw blood, while minors can't (though they can end up "stabbing" one of their thin and sharp mandibles into your finger with their bite attempts). In this species major soldier form more of a second line of defence in the more narrow tunnels and nest structures against invaders that manage to get past the minors, and their powerful bite is needed to cut through some genera of particularly "thick-skinned" ponerine ants like Odontoponera. Other generally larger Macrotermes species however do have major soldier more geared (though not specialized) against vertebrate predators, sporting much longer and curved mandibles that can first hook into the elastic flesh of vertebrates and subsequently provide a "grip" point to cut afterward. Macrotermes carbonarius is a good example of such mandible type in its major soldiers, with its larger size and more pronounced open-foraging habits indole making them a more desiderable target for vertebrates.
The single minor carebara is giving good fight to the large minor soldier termite.
Being incapable of bending like ants, these termite soldiers have problems removing a small attacker that bite them on the flanks, though their frontal arc is deadly.
@@ig-1002 yes. That's right though. Two segmented creatures have no chance when attacked from back.
@@wildlifeisthewealthofnatur5457 This flank vulnerability is a weakness that accomunate basically all mandibulated termite soldiers (though obviously to a very varying degree, depending mainly on their head capsule shape, size and bulk plus general agtility and behavioural adaptation), but in natural condition it's balance by them defending narrow spaces or standing shoulder to shoulder in a phalanx-like formation. At the same time such oversized and bulky armored heads are very useful for phragmotic uses and give them especially powerful bites, being filled with large muscles, making for an often formidable frontal affectiveness. Nasute soldiers have much less of this problem and are often very agile, especially in open foraging genera like Lacessititermes or Constrictotermes. it's intersting to note that since such nasutes don't need size and strenght to fight it's very common for them to be actually smaller than their workers (in some species by a very large margin), which is very uncommon for mandibulate soldiers. They are also present in much higher percentages.
@@wildlifeisthewealthofnatur5457 But if all insects are three segmented (head, thorax (abdomen), gaster) then are termites not insects?
@@zainvoid0 Termites too are three segemented. Thorax in termites is very thin, just below the head.
Great vid. Any chance to upload more like this? Would be good to see supermajor from each go 1 v 1
Thanks. I have several more (and more eventful than this), i'll upload them as soon as i'll download some programs to add comments directly on the screen as the vid play. Sadly i don't have 1v1 fotage of Macrotermes gilvus soldiers and Carebara supermajors (which are larger than the ones in this vid), i'll surely film some during my next Asian trip if i'll found the species again. As a last thing, these termites (Macrotermes) don't actulally have supermajors, as while they have 4 different forms (2 of soldiers and 2 of workers) these are referred to as minor workers, major workers, minor soldiers and major soldiers rather than just minors, medians, majors and supermajors.
a tip : you can watch series on Flixzone. Been using them for watching all kinds of movies these days.
@Kylo Leonardo Yup, have been using flixzone} for months myself :D
really like these video, u got a new sub
Hey! Great vid. Reminds me of my childhood, when I used to make a fights between different ant species:D By the way what is the most combat and strong termite species?
The best defended termites are actually not the ones with the largest and strongest soldiers but those with powerful chemical weaponry and an highly effective way to deliver it, namely open-foraging nasutes like Hospitalitermes.
@@ig-1002 coneheads go brrr...they have surprisingly good aim, I have seen them taking down spiders and weaver ants before.
Hey do you think you could photograph or perhaps video the nuptial flight of Macrotermes carbonarius? They're currently having their nuptial flights right now in days of calm warm weather during the evening hours. 😊
I'm not a resident of South East Asia, so sadly i haven't that possibility right now.
@@ig-1002 Ah that's a shame.😔 Thank you anyway.
That red big headed termite cute cute
They are too frightening as you drop them by hand
Why did the bighead ants kill the little ants?
All Carebara ants here were collected from the same foraging swarm and so don't deliberately attack each other, however a recently/heavily wounded Carebara seems be prone to grab at anything that bumps into her, apparently even her nestmates.
I really wanna see that huge super major fight that soldier termite
Huge ants huge termites battling awesome
Those ant majors are not fighting those workers are risking there life’s for the colony
I can't wait until AI does this to us
That's gotta be the biggest pheidole soldier i have ever seen maybe a carebara diversa?
It is Carebara, either affinis or diversa.
That is solo cool
Why is the red headed termite bigger than the others
Because it is a major soldier. Macrotermes (the termites in the video) have two sizes of workers and two sizes of soldiers.
Those termites have big heads
Because this termites are soldier
Leave them alone! why would you put them together?!
Carebera major are big but are quit slow and not aggressive
termite are so strong
It's common for termite soldiers to have particularly powerful bites for their size, though most of them are adapted at defending their foraging tunnels and nesting spaces and lose effectiveness in the open mainly due to their scarce capacity to bend and subsequent flank vulnerability.
That big headed termite is so cute☺☺😊😊
You mean foraging Asian marauder ants(Carebara diversa)?
Is Carebara, bur not sure about the species.
epic
The Carebara here were't very "swarmy". I have some vids similar to this but much more eventful, but before uploading these i want to figure out how to add a real-time written commentary to them, so users wiil be able to learn and receive infos/hihglights directly while whatching, also cutting the need of a long and general video description.
@@ig-1002 I would recommend using any editing from the play store it's pretty easy to find good quality editors looking forward to more great content
@@ig-1002 are those vids going to be uploaded soon
@@AN-is7qi I've uloaded two more yesterday, but not yet others like this one, since i want them edited but i'm not practical of computers and informatics (at all) and my more tech-savvy brother is away. He returns these days, and he'll give me an hand to start editing a bit.
@@ig-1002 ok great!
Cute termir
I also made an ands vs termites video
i live in canada and i cant find any termites
Generally in southern Canada you should be able to find some Reticulitermes, and in the south Pacific region even Zootermopsis angusticollis, a very large and nice species.
@@ig-1002 does alberta count?
@@papertopaper5462 sadly i'm not familiar with the area, what can i tell you is that i did read of "sporadic infestations" in man-made structures in southern Alberta (by Reticulitermes hesperus i suppose), and in the near British Columbia both Zootermopsis angusticollis and Reticulitermes hesperus are present.
@@ig-1002 ok thank you very much
Termite soldier dominated major
why should i read description?
A N: read description.
Because there's more info on what's going on ;)
the fight is not fair. here are more termites than ants and i dont know what you did, but you squished almost all the ants. some of them are dead and some of their abdomens are crushed.
I did not "squashed" anything, all the damage on the ants was inflicted by the termites.
The ants had free range to enter the termite dish from the outside. I added some extra one specifically to augment their numbers.
Go ant gooooo
There is a major ant major ant are strong
These Carebara also have supermajors who are very large (larger than Macrotermes gilvus major soldiers), but they are very few and none showed up for this vid.
😡Vs🙂
One good sting from red fire ant kill termite.
...but at the same time, a single swift snap from these soldier's jaws will cut the fire ant in two!
Termite weakness is it cant bend their body and thats why always lose to other ant and less flexible..checked some videos they always lose.
@@deas3016 It's true that termites (to a very varying degree) are much more flank vulnerable than ants, but under natural conditions this is offset by them defending narrow passages and/or fighting in a phalanx-style formation to cover each other's flank, while bulky heads and mandibles give them a very efficient frontal attack . Of course, open-foraging species (especially nasute ones, who are often surprisingly agile) have much less of this weakness. The thing with such adaptation is that a human won't be able to see termites fighting in their "natural element" (which they do most of the time), but only when they are exposed, which bring a skewed perception of their effectiveness. Of course, there are several termite species that are very effective at fighting in open spaces, so effective in fact that you won't see them fighting with ants aswell, because the latters flat out avoid them and don't even try to attack.
Fire ants sting easily kill termites.
... but at the same time, a single slash from one of these soldier would slice a fire ant in two (bis!). Anyway, experiments have shown that nasute soldiers are very effective against Solenopsis invicta: an example of a trial with them and Nasutitermes costalis (where a foraging spot a captive termite colony was feeding on was connected to a captive fire ant colony) shown that they were totally incapable of penetrating the Nasutitermes phalanx of soldiers, taking around 289 dead or permanently disabled whitin 3 hour of the connection, and managing to kill and retrieve themselves just 11 termite soldiers. Other similar test with more fire ants (both Solenopsis invicta and other Solenopsis) and other small genera like Wasmannia, Paratrechina (yes, the infamous crazy ants) and Pheidole yielded comparable results.
I've personally observed how effectively Nasutitermes can defend damage in their nest against a black (but still stinging) Solenopsis species in Nicaragua, as while rummaging for bugs or breaching a Nasutitermes nest i also damaged an ant nest (these were extremely common, and stung me often) and so was able to observe the subsequent interaction.
@@ig-1002 I also assume that termites native to South America could probably fare well against the fire ants since they are also native to South America no?
@@nithinrocks6252 I have no info regarding particular adaptation to fighting fire ants by sympatric termite species, but i cannot exclude it either since so little is known on termites in general. However i see termite genera specific from South America (like Cylindrotermes) performing poorly against fire ants (unless protecting the narrow passage of their nest of course) and other never found there who would be extremely effective at facing them "indoor" or "outdoor" (like for example Hospitalitermes, Asian termites that could almost be considered an "upgraded" version of the aforementioned Nasutitermes, being specialized in open-foraging, larger, more agile, better armored, with an higher soldier percentage and arguably possessing a more powerful and toxic defensive spray, seeing how virtually all ants in their habitat learned to simply avoid them).
@@nithinrocks6252 However for most termites how they'll perform against fire ants outside their nest or tunnel/foraging system is of rather secondary importance, as they will never leave those and finding themselves in the open (for example with a person breaking wood or rummaging through their tunnels, scattering them) would be a thing of great rarity and brief duration (as the animals will quickly run for cover and seal the damages), and eventual casualties suffered there would usually be of little to no consequence for their colony as a whole (except in wood-dwelling species with very small colonies and very few soldiers like Cryptotermes, but again these live in solid wood and being exposed for whatever reason would be even rarer for them than for subterranean termites).