The Cellar - November 14, 2008: Ants

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- - November 14, 2008: Ants (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=18713)

November 14, 2008: Ants

Look at these two ants, a female and a male.

http://cellar.org/2008/Myrmarachne.jpg

Aren't they wonderfully efficient creations... strong, streamlined, and quick to scamper on those eight legs. Eight legs?

Hah, fooled you, they're Spiders, Myrmarachne plataleoides, to be exact.

Quote:

The spiders live in trees and bushes where the weaver ants live in colonies. By mimicking the ants they are able to stay close to them and gain protection from predators. Since weaver ants have a painful bite and also taste bad, this strategy appears to be successful. Though these spiders mimic the weaver ants very well they are known to stay away from them. They weave a thin web on leaves, hide under their webbing and ambush their prey.

The Kerengga Ant-like Jumper also mimics ant-like behaviour by the style of locomotion and also by the way they wave their front legs like antennae to mimic the ants. These jumping-spiders jump only when their safety is threatened.

Damn, ya can't even trust ants these days. ;)

Link

What's with all the insecty things?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha (Post 504090)

What's with all the insecty things?

Is it ... antici.....pation?

Probably just a mutANT

"...weaver ants have a painful bite and also taste bad..."

What? Spiders are so delicious that they have to pretend to be ants? Why am I just finding this out now? Quick! Somebody give me a spider recipe.

Oh! what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive!
Maybe these spiders were the inspiration for Scott's verse? Thanks for the day-brightener, Bruce. I love weird nature. What an amazing little planet we have here! :)

As long as they stay in the jungle, and not my house, I won't squash them.

I wonder how many ants the typical male dry-humps before finding a female spider?:D

I immediately wondered about the 8 legs.

Another critter for my nightmares.

I'm okay with ants, no concerns. Spiders I'm usually ok with provided they aren't on me or hovering around me. Their little spiders masquerading as ants....heck, it works on me apparently, too. I looked at the pic and was thinking, "hmmm....wierd ants....okay...." Apparently I'm as easily fooled as their predators. LOL

Look, cute animal pictures in the IOTD. It must be Friday.

Spiders in disguises. Just another reason to hate them.

:smack: Forgot it was Friday.
Should have gotten a more cute and cuddly image for today.
Here ya go.
http://cellar.org/2008/Baby Muntjac deer.jpg

Better? It's a baby Muntjac Deer...

to BBQ. :p