C. Best Gardner observed a Myrmica ruginodis worker which he had in is possession which lived without a head for twenty one days - a testament to the tenacity of M. ruginodis!
When in conflict, Myrmica workers will often group together to pull on hostile ants legs, often with a leg-a-piece. They will work in unison to pull the hostile worker apart as this is the only way to be sure the threat is eliminated (À la Grigori Rasputin). Sometimes simply removing the gaster, a number of legs or even a head just doesn't cut it!
Following slave raids, Formica sanguinea queens can be found with hostile workers heads still clamped onto its legs and antennae - despite the rest of the ant being decapitated!
One of the Lasius niger queens I collected following nuptial flights still had a persistent worker clamped onto one of its legs. Luckily, she managed to prize its mandibles free and is no longer encumbered by this exuberant fashion statement!
Tags: Formica | Lasius | Myrmica | Frequently Asked Question | Morphology & Physiology
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