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Giant Forest Ants (Camponotus gigas)

on 26th February 2018
video grab: worker and soldier
video grab: worker and soldier

The Giant Forest Ant (Camponotus gigas) is native to Southeast Asia. It is a forest species and can easily be seen in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Although these ants are active mostly at night, solitary worker ants can always be seen wandering on the forest floor and by forest paths and roads (see video below).

According to Wikipedia, these ants are one of the largest in the world. The body length of the workers measure 20.9 mm while that of soldiers 28.1 mm. Honeydew makes up 90% of their diet, but they will also consume insects and bird droppings. It has been reported that they farm cicadas to harvest the honeydew secreted by the latter. The nest is underground, usually at the base of trees or among fallen wood. The colony may number 7,000 workers housed in several nests.

More information on these fascinating ants can be found HERE and HERE.

Jeremiah Loei
Singapore
26th January 2018

This post is a cooperative effort between Birds, Insects N Creatures Of Asia and BESG to bring the study of birds and their behavior through photography and videography to a wider audience.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

3 Responses

  1. James, I have no doubt that the thalamo-cortical loops contribute to the rich form of consciousness that we humans experience. Let me say that another way. I believe there are many levels of consciousness. That our human variety includes a bunch of stuff relating to thought and all the other stuff our brains do. But at a lower level, I believe simpler forms of consciousness exist. For example, an ant, having been over a trail, has some sort of memory of that trail. That memory must be available to the ant in some form of a “view of the trail. What that view looks like to the ant, we can only speculate. But I have no doubt that the ant “sees something.

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