ant nest

ant nest https://scienceblogs.com/ en The Secret Megalopolis of the Ants https://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/01/23/the-secret-megalopolis-of-the <span>The Secret Megalopolis of the Ants</span> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p><font size="-2">tags: <a target="window" href="http://technorati.com/tag/ants" rel="tag">ants</a>, <a target="window" href="http://technorati.com/tag/The+Secret+Megalopolis+of+the+Ants" rel="tag">The Secret Megalopolis of the Ants</a>, <a target="window" href="http://technorati.com/tag/ant+nest" rel="tag">ant nest</a>, <a target="window" href="http://technorati.com/tag/streaming+video" rel="tag">streaming video</a></font> </p><p>This is a video of scientists pouring ten tons of liquid concrete into an ant colony, waiting several weeks for it to set, then digging it up. In doing so, they learned that the structure covers 538 square feet and travels 26 feet into the earth. To build it, the ant colony moved 40 tons of soil -- billions of ant loads of soil were brought to the surface. Each load weighed four times as much as the worker ant, and in human terms, was carried over 1/2 mile to the surface. It's amazing what evolution can construct, don't you think? [6:37]</p> <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQERRbU23bU&rel=1" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQERRbU23bU&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></div> <span><a title="View user profile." href="/author/grrlscientist" lang="" about="/author/grrlscientist" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">grrlscientist</a></span> <span>Wed, 01/23/2008 - 02:59</span> <div class="field field--name-field-blog-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline"> <div class="field--label">Tags</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/insects" hreflang="en">insects</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/streaming-videos" hreflang="en">streaming videos</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/ant-megalopolis" hreflang="en">ant megalopolis</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/ant-nest" hreflang="en">ant nest</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/ants" hreflang="en">ants</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/streaming-video" hreflang="en">streaming video</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/insects" hreflang="en">insects</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/streaming-videos" hreflang="en">streaming videos</a></div> </div> </div> <section> <article data-comment-user-id="0" id="comment-2058712" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201080166"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Ants! You should definitely post more about ants. Not like I'm biased, or anything. </p> <p>On a related note, those massive leafcutter ant nests are <a href="http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/01/20/ants-from-a-kilometer-up/">big enough to be clearly visible on Google earth.</a></p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058712&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yMo72cy8tgF-7Du-o3RWu_QbRFI3djEgM5RiO8E-o7I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <a rel="nofollow" href="http://myrmecos.wordpress.com" lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Alex (not verified)</a> on 23 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058712">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/user/0"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/user/0" hreflang="und"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/default_images/icon-user.png?itok=yQw_eG_q" width="100" height="100" alt="User Image" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> <article data-comment-user-id="134" id="comment-2058713" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201090358"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>i figured that if there was one thing that would lure you back into my comments section, it would be an ant video! glad to see you again, alex.</p> <p>i also have an ant story that will appear later today. it's a story with a funny title. (well, it will appear if my wifi holds up, because i am still working on it right now).</p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058713&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gyA_akvpi0qjwYHP7tJRR5atf5nUd6ZhX2ocheQE27k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <a title="View user profile." href="/author/grrlscientist" lang="" about="/author/grrlscientist" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">grrlscientist</a> on 23 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058713">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/author/grrlscientist"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/author/grrlscientist" hreflang="en"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/pictures/Hedwig%20P%C3%B6ll%C3%B6l%C3%A4inen.jpeg?itok=-pOoqzmB" width="58" height="58" alt="Profile picture for user grrlscientist" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> <article data-comment-user-id="0" id="comment-2058714" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201093873"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Ooh! Ooh! Don't stop there! My friend Chris use to work on ants living in acorn, when she was in Ohio. She also did some really cool stuff on slave-makers for her PhD.</p> <p>For my PhD, I worked on mildew. :-(</p> <p>Bob</p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058714&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LR1JB3VEZWDrExLQbzpyahNampUWguikV1YQyaNutnQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <a rel="nofollow" href="http://deepthoughtsandsilliness.blogspot.com/" lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Bob O'H (not verified)</a> on 23 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058714">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/user/0"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/user/0" hreflang="und"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/default_images/icon-user.png?itok=yQw_eG_q" width="100" height="100" alt="User Image" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> <article data-comment-user-id="0" id="comment-2058715" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201105075"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>I remember seeing an article a couple of years ago either in Scientific American or Discover magazine where a guy would pour molten nickel (IIRC) and make casts of ant nests. It was interesting to see some of the differences between the species.</p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058715&1=default&2=en&3=" token="aRkStK0U3Bd9EcnmFxkOxo_hAdikkVy-QsuGPxGLtAA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Scotty B (not verified)</span> on 23 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058715">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/user/0"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/user/0" hreflang="und"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/default_images/icon-user.png?itok=yQw_eG_q" width="100" height="100" alt="User Image" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> <article data-comment-user-id="0" id="comment-2058716" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201124532"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Well, you've certainly found my weakness!</p> <p>Scotty- the nest casting work is Walt Tschinkel's, you can see <a href="http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1672%2F1536-2442%282004%29004%5B0001%3ATNAOTF%5D2.0.CO%3B2#toclink6">more here.</a></p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058716&1=default&2=en&3=" token="PzzLGTpnYHR4TZLABHLeXqXVpdqK6KceLRBZJAtotNs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <a rel="nofollow" href="http://myrmecos.wordpress.com" lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Alex (not verified)</a> on 23 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058716">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/user/0"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/user/0" hreflang="und"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/default_images/icon-user.png?itok=yQw_eG_q" width="100" height="100" alt="User Image" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> <article data-comment-user-id="0" id="comment-2058717" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201159566"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>I'm torn between awe and dismay. Our ability to witness nature's mysteries still seems to be dependent on our capacity to destroy what we are studying.</p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058717&1=default&2=en&3=" token="oIVv5594sJE9-HJtHbCu8yM6DEq_KtSF6AZEIer_2KY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Sascha (not verified)</span> on 24 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058717">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/user/0"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/user/0" hreflang="und"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/default_images/icon-user.png?itok=yQw_eG_q" width="100" height="100" alt="User Image" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> <article data-comment-user-id="0" id="comment-2058718" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201174670"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>I was about to ask if this came out of the Tschinkel research group (thanks, Alex!) I'll watch the video when I get home from work.</p> <p>Yet another reason why the aculeate Hymenoptera rule. :-)</p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058718&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zNIn3IdOdwPav5efj2eF-Fiaj86g-vDdUg7UljHdRAg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Julie Stahlhut (not verified)</span> on 24 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058718">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/user/0"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/user/0" hreflang="und"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/default_images/icon-user.png?itok=yQw_eG_q" width="100" height="100" alt="User Image" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> <article data-comment-user-id="0" id="comment-2058719" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201175713"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>It is too bad that the nests have to be destroyed, but I'd suggest that Tschinkel's work has a positive impact on the perception of ants by scientists and laypersons alike that far outweighs the the damage done to the individual colonies he studies.</p> <p>The first time I saw his work in <i>Discover</i>, I nearly passed out from sheer amazement.</p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058719&1=default&2=en&3=" token="6S6hiHu-FU1shKXvCj8rvzKdE5VzlyWq3ou-ryUsFOA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.humpday.com/brownian/" lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Brownian (not verified)</a> on 24 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058719">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/user/0"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/user/0" hreflang="und"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/default_images/icon-user.png?itok=yQw_eG_q" width="100" height="100" alt="User Image" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> <article data-comment-user-id="0" id="comment-2058720" class="js-comment comment-wrapper clearfix"> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1201210215"></mark> <div class="well"> <strong></strong> <div class="field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Anyone have any idea by what metric they say it's "the equivalent of building the Great Wall of China"? Ant-hours compared to man-hours? Mass*distance of material transported, compared to size*number of workers?</p> <p>But....<i>man</i>. Amazing. Some museum should build a (less extensive) human-sized version so that kids (and hell yeah, adults) can crawl around in it. Scratch that, some museum should be entirely housed in such a structure. Bonus points for it actually being underground.</p> </div> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=2058720&1=default&2=en&3=" token="E1qn-CVfGko8E9Bnn950ffM8WbhD1vhnEETMuqL6l4E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> <footer> <em>By <a rel="nofollow" href="http://dendritic-arbor.blogspot.com" lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">Alioth (not verified)</a> on 24 Jan 2008 <a href="https://scienceblogs.com/taxonomy/term/21533/feed#comment-2058720">#permalink</a></em> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="/user/0"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <a href="/user/0" hreflang="und"><img src="/files/styles/thumbnail/public/default_images/icon-user.png?itok=yQw_eG_q" width="100" height="100" alt="User Image" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </a> </div> </article> </footer> </article> </section> <ul class="links inline list-inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="/user/login?destination=/grrlscientist/2008/01/23/the-secret-megalopolis-of-the%23comment-form">Log in</a> to post comments</li></ul> Wed, 23 Jan 2008 07:59:44 +0000 grrlscientist 86433 at https://scienceblogs.com