Kingdom of Ants by Edward O. Wilson

Author:Edward O. Wilson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press
Published: 2010-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

NOVEMBER 7, 1777 (MINES OF CERRO DEL SAPO)

Today, as I was going to the mine of La Concepción, I also saw the long-awaited spectacle of ants fighting. Undoubtedly, they had to be the two species of arrieras, mulatto and red ones. I still have not been able to find any traits to distinguish between these two species. [As noted] there is a difference in color, but I am not yet satisfied. It is true that the mulattresses are or seem to be more voracious and have different habits. These do not produce manure (as they call it here), whereas the red arrieras colonies have some squads of ants dedicated to this activity continuously, casting the waste out day and night through separate nest entrances. I have constantly observed a colony at this task for ten months, whereas they normally leave at night to make their depredations. For the local people, who grew up in this country, a hostile response occurs between the two arriera species when the mulatto ones are put together with the red ones. Indeed, they hate and destroy each other. [At least] I strongly suspect that they were mulatto and red ones, because very near the narrow battlefield, there is a great anthill of red ones, whose raiders had to go to the side of the banana plantation to [reach the] mulattresses’ anthills. When encounters occurred on a narrow path, fighting began. I believe they do not look for each other, because they’d certainly destroy one another. Rather, a battle is begun when it cannot be avoided.

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