Defense, Aggression, and Pogos as Prey
Wrestling and stinging
ants, lunch for spiders, and territorial wars. Pogonomyrmex spp.
ants at various locations in North America.
Scroll down PAST BOTTOM OF PAGE for complete image description, and CLICK large image to make it even LARGER...
***There may be multiple image pages; use page/image controls below to see them all!***
Read MoreScroll down PAST BOTTOM OF PAGE for complete image description, and CLICK large image to make it even LARGER...
***There may be multiple image pages; use page/image controls below to see them all!***
5 / 40
● Horse Ridge, SE of Bend [Deschutes Co], OR USA [el. 1310 m / 4297 ft] view location in Google Maps » ● 7/20/09 7:14AM sunny, air temp: 11°C / 52°F
Unlike many other Pogo species, a majority of the P. salinus ants we encounter are very docile, and tolerate our presence with no signs of defensive behavior (usually ignoring us completely). Occasionally, however, we come across a colony populated by extremely pugnacious workers. On our first visit to this gigantic nest (July 2008) I was unable to approach the entrance, due to the many angry defenders. On the second visit (one year later - when this image was captured), we arrived when the temperature was still too low for the ants to be active, and waited for the first to emerge...
This worker was one of the first to come out. She stood in the sun just outside the entrance, and attempted to menace us with a feeble opening and closing of the mandibles (note the worn, blunt 'teeth'). At 11°C / 52°F, the air temperature was still too low for vigorous activity, though the rocky surface where this ant stood had already reached a surface temperature of approx. 20°C / 69°F. Facing east, this nest is constructed around large rocks which act as solar collectors - allowing its inhabitants to become active well before those of any other nest in the immediate vicinity that we have observed. Within an hour, many workers were active and becoming agitated, so I retreated. [scroll down for additional notes/references]
ADDITIONAL NOTES/REFERENCES:
On our first visit to this nest (7/15/08) the air temperature was 28°C / 82°F, and the ants were foraging along a trail in the shade of a large rock. Soon after I approached the entrance, many dozens of workers (defenders) poured out, and ran toward me. Most turned back after I backed away, but approximately 10 workers continued pursuing me more than 3.6 m / 12 ft from the entrance, often stopping to stand on small pebbles and twigs while waving their antennae wildly, and opening their mandibles.
At many other P. salinus nests nearby, workers were not aggressive, and ignored us - even when inches away from the entrances.
We think the physical size of the large nest (mentioned above), may have something to do with the very aggressive worker response to our presence. The gravel-covering of this nest was approx. 1.9 m / 76 in. wide, measured on its longest axis. This means that I had to walk over a large portion of the nest 'dome' in order to reach the entrance - undoubtedly collapsing many tunnels and galleries that lay just below the gravel covered surface. This would result in alarm pheromones being released in great quantities by the ants underfoot, alerting nestmates to the defense of their colony.
pogopogonomyrmexpogonomyrmex salinusantspreydefensemacroharvester ants
Log In: