myrmepropagandistMar 14

I have a new queen. Lasius brevicornis. The queen is about 9mm Her nanitics are so tiny I'm going to cry. They are 1.5mm and transparent yellow.

They are smaller than the antennae on my Camponotus pennsylvanicus queen. Nanitics are the first workers in a colony and they are often smaller than the workers produced later when the colony is better established. But this is out of control. They are just so small.

They would make a fruit fly look like an elephant.

Show threadmyrmepropagandistMar 14

They still have six legs, tiny mandibles and tiny ant intentions and projects they are working on with their mother.

What do they have in their legs? One muscle fiber per joint?

They are so complex and tiny it's breaking my brain a little.

I don't understand why people aren't freaked about about this more often.

Show threadmyrmepropagandistMar 14
I've written program to make the legs of 3D models of ants walk in a realistic way. You control the legs in two groups of 3, the lower part of the limbs can self correct. Still I'm certain the program is too long to fit in their little heads. But, they are racing around protecting their mother like they are going to do something with mandibles thinner than one of my hairs.
Show threadNot a Spring Onion

@futurebird Oh, this reminds me of Braitenberg verhicles.

Maybe some analog trickery?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braitenberg_vehicle

Braitenberg vehicle - Wikipedia

Mar 14 at 5:18pmWeb