Harvester ants

acerola · Post by **acerola** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 2:29 pm

We saw pogo ants here in recent time. Its time to show you the european harvester ant Messor structor. They can lift amazing weight.

Canon EOS 20D + reversed 18-55mm

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 2:53 pm

A couple of interesting and nicely taken photos Péter. I particularly like pic1 which, as well as being a nicely balanced composition, also beautifully illustrates the extraordinary strength of these ants.

There looks to be a lot of untapped detail still available in the head and thorax (and the seed pod) that might make a good image as a closer crop?

Bruce

acerola · Post by **acerola** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 2:58 pm

Thank you. The crop is a really good idea.

acerola · Post by **acerola** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:13 pm

I just cropped it tightly. It is really better.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:15 pm

They look really swell to me Péter, great shots of the little creatures and yes their ability to lift things many times their size is truely amazing.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:24 pm

Wow that's impressive - it really shows a LOT more detail - I like it - thanks!

Bruce

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:13 pm

Yes, the crop is very nice.

As to the ant's strength, what I find most amazing is that I am amazed.

The trick, of course, is not that ants are strong, just small.

We "know" from scaling laws that the strength of a muscle is proportional to its cross-sectional area, while the weight of a load is proportional to its volume. So strength goes as mm^2, weight as mm^3.

A human is 1.5 meters tall and can easily carry 1/3 of its body weight. The ant is perhaps 1 cm in length -- 150 times smaller. If the ant's muscles are only as strong as the human's, it should be able to carry 50 times its body weight, even more than seen here.

The scene makes perfect sense when you work the math. And yet it looks amazing!

For 40 years now I have "understood" how the scaling works, but still my first reaction is always "Wow! Look how strong the ant is!"

I find this puzzling, and more than a little humbling. Apparently it's a lot easier to understand scaling than how the mind works!

--Rik

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 5:31 pm

In the crop, the ants body looks even more Scrawny and the seed looks a lot bigger

Excellent photos acerola.

acerola · Post by **acerola** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:01 am

Thank you for your comment.
Peter

Mike B in OKlahoma · Post by **Mike B in OKlahoma** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:50 pm

I've read of the European harvesters, but never seen them!

I like the crop, but I also like the original shot for the way the seed goes on and on and on in front of the ant....Very impressive feat of lifting!