{"id":309,"date":"2024-06-04T09:24:29","date_gmt":"2024-06-04T13:24:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/?p=309"},"modified":"2024-06-04T09:27:14","modified_gmt":"2024-06-04T13:27:14","slug":"remnants-of-predation-or-scavenging-loot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/2024\/06\/04\/remnants-of-predation-or-scavenging-loot\/","title":{"rendered":"Remnants of  Predation or Scavenging Loot?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69f38b0a2f4fd&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69f38b0a2f4fd\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"537\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/DSC_1212.jpg\" alt=\"Cardiocondyla minutior nest hole with discarded carcasses of Pheidole scattered around.\" class=\"wp-image-310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/DSC_1212.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/DSC_1212-300x161.jpg 300w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/DSC_1212-768x412.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Cardiocondyla minutior<\/em> nest hole with discarded carcasses of <em>Pheidole<\/em> scattered around<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A colony of the tiny ant <em>Cardiocondyla minutior<\/em> showed up near a colony of <em>Pheidole<\/em> that I had been photographing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the course of days and weeks, the <em>Pheidole<\/em> colony, which had been fairly constant when it came to showing up at baits, started to disappear. The few foragers still around discovered the baits, but recruitment was lackadaisical at best, and the baits were usually abandoned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br><br>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69f38b0a2fc7e&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69f38b0a2fc7e\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"468\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1137.jpg\" alt=\"Cardiocondyla minutior with dead body of Pheidole ant.\" class=\"wp-image-356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1137.jpg 810w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1137-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1137-768x444.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Cardiocondyla minutior<\/em> with dead body of <em>Pheidole<\/em> ant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When foragers of both species met, the <em>Cardiocondyla minutior<\/em> always run away, at times being chased by the <em>Pheidole<\/em> minor worker, so I was prepared to assume that the dead bodies of the <em>Pheidole<\/em> were simply being scavenged by the darker ants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, I soon discovered piles of dead <em>Pheidole<\/em> that were maintained by <em>C. minutior<\/em>. The dead included winged reproductives, and many of the carcasses showed signs of dismemberment and other injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br><br>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69f38b0a303cc&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69f38b0a303cc\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"574\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1294.jpg\" alt=\"Pile of dismembered Pheidole ants.\" class=\"wp-image-357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1294.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1294-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1294-768x441.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pile of dismembered <em>Pheidole<\/em> ants<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>C. minutior<\/em> is an exotic that has not been observed to be very aggressive, although it usually can survive even in the midst of much more aggressive species. Observers have surmised that this was due to chemical defenses. The discovery of these piles of dead ants and the weakening and disappearance of the <em>Pheidole<\/em> colony perhaps points to a more aggressive behavior in this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A colony of the tiny ant Cardiocondyla minutior showed up near a colony of Pheidole that I had been photographing. Over the course of days and weeks, the Pheidole colony, which had been fairly constant when it came to showing up at baits, started to disappear. The few foragers still around discovered the baits, but&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_siteseo_robots_primary_cat":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,19],"tags":[12,16,17,18],"class_list":["post-309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-macrophotography","category-observations","tag-macrophotography","tag-observations","tag-predation","tag-war"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":363,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309\/revisions\/363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}