All articles tagged with #social insects
Originally Published 5 months ago — by The Guardian
Madeleine Beekman proposes that language evolved alongside cooperative childcare in early humans, driven by the need for social coordination in caring for helpless infants, with evidence from anatomical changes and social behaviors, challenging previous male-centric theories and emphasizing the role of alloparents and social groups.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Livescience.com
Bizarre footage captured in Queensland, Australia, shows termites trapped in a "death spiral," where they walk in a circle until they die from exhaustion, a phenomenon observed in some colonies of social insects. The video, shot at a woodworking show, raises questions about how the termites ended up inside the fungus, with experts speculating on the possibility of intentional placement. Trail-following behavior in termites is controlled by specific pheromones, and the peculiar phenomenon is attributed to a disruption in their navigation system.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Yahoo Life
Bizarre footage captured in Queensland, Australia, shows termites engaged in a "death spiral," where they walk in a circle following each other until they die from exhaustion. This behavior, also observed in ants, is controlled by specific pheromones and can occur when foraging insects lose their way. The video, uploaded to a Facebook group, has sparked curiosity among experts, with some speculating on how the termites ended up in this unusual situation.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by IFLScience
Ants, the most numerous and overlooked animal group on Earth, may have created the largest civilization right under our feet. With roughly 12,000 species, ants live in socially complex colonies and exhibit remarkable capabilities as a social group. They make up one-third of the animal biomass in the Amazon rainforest and have a caste system with specialized roles. Ants are farmers, protectors, builders, and even engage in behaviors like necrophoresis. They have no government or direct leadership, yet have persisted longer and more successfully than many other species. Ants may be the pioneers of one of the greatest civilizations on Earth.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Neuroscience News
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) in carpenter ants plays an active role in shaping ant behavior by producing an enzyme called Juvenile hormone esterase (Jhe) that degrades the Juvenile Hormone (JH3), which influences foraging behavior. Different levels of the Jhe enzyme in the BBB determine whether an ant becomes a forager or a soldier. This discovery suggests that similar mechanisms may influence behavior in other species, including mice. The study highlights the importance of a single protein expressed in the right place at the right time in regulating complex behaviors in social insects and potentially other organisms.