A Termite-Killing Ant Has Met Its Match With The Formosan Subterranean Termite
A Termite-Killing Ant Has Met Its Match With The Formosan Subterranean Termite
If you have any interest in termites, then you likely know that they are not particularly fierce creatures. There is not a single termite species that can be considered a predator. Since termites do not possess many predatory features and often do not demonstrate violent behaviors, their world contains threats that lurk around every corner. It is well known that ants are the greatest enemy of termites, as there exists numerous ant species that have adapted to feed on termites. When it comes to ant attacks, termites can only rely on the protection of their hard-to-penetrate nests, as well as a few combat methods that differ from species to species. However, there is one particular termite species that has been observed standing its ground against attacks from the fiercest of predatory ant species. One fairly recent study has focused on the Formosan subterranean termite’s ability to defend against attacks from big-headed ants. This study was conducted in order to address conflicting results from similar studies conducted in the past.
In the United States, big-headed ants are considered an invasive species. Highly aggressive big-headed ants have deprived ecosystems of essential insect habitats within America. The Formosan subterranean termite is another invasive insect in America that is often targeted by big-headed ants. Both of these invasive insects forage and nest below the ground, making encounters between the two species frequent. Although the big-headed ant is considered a top predator, researchers found that Formosan termites could successfully defend their nests against big-headed ant attacks. Not only that, but Formosan termites also demonstrated the same degree of aggressiveness as the invading ants, which is rare for termite species. After observing several battles between colonies of the two insects, researchers noted that a comparable amount of casualties were lost on both sides. This is important knowledge, as some researchers had been considering the biological control of Formosan termites by means of big-headed ant predation. However, it turns out that Formosan subterranean termites are one of the few termite species that can hold their own against attacks from big-headed ants.
Does North America contain more invasive insect species than you had previously assumed?