On June 30, Zhao Li, director of the Huaxi Entomological Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, unexpectedly discovered that a group of ants were carrying chinese giant bamboo worm eggs into the nest, and after digging the nest, there were three more inside. It is said to be the first video recording in Asia of ants carrying bamboo eggs.
The process of ants carrying Chinese giant bamboo worm eggs into their nests (video screenshot)
Zhao Li explained that the stalk on the eggs of The Giant Bamboo Worm in China is rich in protein and oil, which is attractive to ants, and the handling of ants expands the living range of the Stick Worm population, while the warm and humid environment of the ant nest is also a necessary condition for the hatching of the Eggs of the Giant Bamboo Worm in China.
Ants carry stick eggs
Zhao Li: This is the first time that a video has been taken in Asia
In the garden of his home in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Zhao Li raised several Chinese giant bamboo insects. Based on the recent temperature, he judged that it was time for the Chinese giant bamboo stick insect to lay eggs.
After 10 a.m. on June 30, he was routinely inspecting the barnyard cage when he accidentally saw a swarm of ants carrying stick eggs. He immediately took out his mobile phone to shoot, "one shot to the end." ”
Zhao Li's excitement was for a reason. He introduced the process of the stick insect eggs being carried into the nest by ants, which had only been photographed by Australian entomologists before, "and was photographed as a ghost stick insect from Australia." ”
"The eggs were supposed to have been laid last night." He introduced that in addition to body length, there is little difference in the morphology of Chinese giant bamboo knotworm and Sichuan native to the bamboo stick insect, but there is a clear difference between the eggs of the two: "The eggs of the Chinese giant bamboo knotweed have a prominent small handle. ”
The small stalk of the giant bamboo worm egg that was carried this time is still very fresh, "if it is long, it will be dry." After taking the video, he dug up the ant nest, "and there are three eggs in it." ”
Chinese giant bamboo worm eggs
Zhao Li told Red Star News that although Asian entomologists have observed the experience of ants carrying bamboo eggs before, they have not taken videos, "so this image recording is also the first time for the Asian entomological community." In Zhao Li's view, this video further unveils the secret life of China's giant bamboo insects, and also provides a research basis for protecting it.
Explanation:
Little sweetener lures ants to "move bricks"
Zhao Li introduced that the stem on the eggs of the Chinese giant bamboo worm is rich in protein and oil, "very attractive to ants, once the ants encounter such eggs, they will immediately move away." However, he said that the egg shell of the Chinese giant bamboo beetle is hard, and the ants will find that the hard egg shell cannot be eaten after a certain distance, "In most cases, the egg will be abandoned, only the handle will be bitten down and taken away, but some eggs are brought back to the hole by the ants." ”
Raising Zhao Li in the laboratory also found that the loss of the stalk did not hinder the hatching of the eggs.
Giant Chinese bamboo worms that are laying eggs
What is the point of luring ants to carry eggs?
"With a small sweetness, the ants spread the eggs farther away, expanding the scope of life." On the other hand, Zhao Li said that the incubation of eggs of Chinese giant bamboo beetles, in addition to temperature, also has requirements for humidity. "Unlike native bamboo worm eggs, they can hatch when they fall on the ground." Zhao Li introduced that he had done experiments to put the eggs of the Chinese giant bamboo worm on the outdoor ground, and then looked at it after a month or two, "The eggs are dry, and after pressing open, they are powdery, and they cannot be successfully hatched." Therefore, he judged that the eggs were dragged into the warm and moist nest and also conducive to successful hatching.
Stick insects and ants:
Kill and fall in love
"In most cases, ants are natural enemies of stick insects." Zhao Li found in the process of raising stick insects that as long as the ants found stick worms that were molting or had just broken their feet and had wounds on their bodies, they would attack them in groups and eat the stick insects. Actively attracting ants to move their eggs? "It sounds like a stick bug is a bit stupid, but when you think about it, it's very clever."
A first-instar larvae of the newly hatched Giant Bamboo Shootworm in China
Zhao Li said that the egg shell of the stick insect is hard, it feels like a small stone, and even it cannot be digested by the bird - "Some foreign scholars have posted that some female stick worms are eaten by birds, the eggs are not digested, and after the bird droppings are discharged, they can still hatch. He said that the stick insects have learned one thing in evolution: the only food that ants can really enjoy is the small stalk, and their eggs are basically not eaten.
Red Star News reporter Peng Liang according to the interviewee
Edited by Liu Jing