Leaf Cutters Ant Colony Development

Brain Development and Ants- We grow through our experiences. It could be a matter of depth or width, as in experience some about many, or experience much about one. Usually we live with a balance of both, and the brain continues to make new connections while reinforcing older ones and some connections are lost. So, if you want a healthy brain, don't do drugs, children.
Really, decent nutrition, physical exercise and learning new things are a good start.

So, what about the ants? We have learned much. At the moment, we are starting a new study titled:
Does a cabbage bait infused with an organic mystery solution affect leaf cutter colony size or behavior?
Purpose: To find possible methods of reducing foliar damage caused by leaf cutter ants.
Background: When we moved into this house in July 2009, a leaf cutter ant colony existed in the pasture. At that point, their mound was about the size and shape of an upside down salad bowl, while underground tunnels likely traveled a few meters and colony size consisted of several thousand ants. Today, the primary mound covers an area the size of a two car garage, there are several smaller mounds and entry holes throughout the pasture and our yard, tunnels and chambers, well, if someone wants to have fun with the math, let me know, colony size is likely in the several millions.
Leaf cutter ants make a living by cutting pieces of leaves and using them to grow a fungus in their underground chambers. The fungus is then harvested and eaten by the colony's members.
The leafcutters, are very interesting to observe, however they do cause a considerable amount of damage to foliage and can colonize new areas through reproduction. Gardens and reforestation projects are susceptible to considerable damage and their earth moving can affect building foundations. Currently, we do not know of natural mechanisms, such as predators or weather events, for controlling their populations at this site. Common local methods for their eradication is the burning of diesel fuel in their tunnels (really fun for humans) or use of a fungicide that targets their food source (not as exciting as the former).
We have tried the fungicide, and the ants initially show curiosity by taking a few pellets, then after a few applications, they move the pellets off to the side of their trail.
Our Test: We have received an organic cabbage bait that is designed to kill the ants, thus reducing the size or even eliminating a colony. Each morning this week, I spread spoonfuls of the cabbage substance on several trails. On most mornings, within ten minutes they hauled a few pieces toward their tunnels. When I returned home in the late afternoons, 90% of the cabbage was gone. So, are they bringing all of the cabbage to their nests? (Bias, says yes, absolutely) Are other animals eating the cabbage? (bias, says, no, absolutely not) But ethical and true science is objective, biases removed. It has been difficult to assess because I have other responsibilities - like making my own living. So, without continual observation, I really don't know what is happening to all of the cabbage. Have I noticed any change in behavior or numbers of ants? No.

More research, and thus brain development in the future! Time to apply more of the cabbage.

Signed M

Maybe my enjoyment here has something to do with brain development! Obviously, many things here in CR are new or at least different, thus forcing the mind to store the new and reinterpret the old. Lets take ants for example. In Chicago, we could identify a few types of ants around the yard. You might be familiar with the masses of ants that occasionally swarm on the driveway or over a crack on the sidewalk. Looks like mom spilled the ground coffee as she was getting out of the car and now they're dancing type of thing. I would often tell the boys that is was an ant party, until we closely observed one time to discover, to take words from David Bowie, "this ain't no disco, this ain't no foolin' around" but an all out war. The ants were engaged in a fierce battle, attacking with jaws and ripping apart opponents. We figured that two colonies had gotten a little close to each other on nature's dance floor, someone bumped, then a bottle flew and all you no what broke loose. Further observations that summer supported our ants at war theory.

Those earlier stop and smell the coffee discoveries may have helped us developed a greater awareness ants ( Class: Order Hymenoptera, Family Formicidae). Our fascination has grown further here due to the manners in which they become part of our lives.
We navigate around or trip over the leafcutter mounds walking up the pasture
We devise ways to keep ants from the baked goods that cool on the kitchen counter.
We wait patiently for the next invasion of marauding army ants to clean the house and respectfully walk over their columns on the trails.
We admired the way one type would enter our front door at sunset, quickly locate fallen dinner scraps, and then quietly carry their booty out without disturbing a soul.

I think we have found about ten species around the home, some more conspicuous or mildly irritating than others. I say only 'mildly irritating' because we have never had an experience when they have attacked our food in mass numbers or caused fear of losing life or limb, yet they initially have caused some mental discomfort upon first encounters. Once you get to know the types and their patterns, they are quite predictable. Heck, I even found Sally struck with awe as she patiently watched the patterns and trail of some ants in the kitchen.

OK< john wants me to look at a toucanet.

M

Brain Development

As I sit here, trying to sort out the hundreds of ideas in my head, I cannot focus on any one event. I favor an objective writing style that and would rather write about a specific topic than give a journal of my daily activities. My better half possesses much more freedom with the pen and can write a detailed, colorful diary of a weeks events. Hmm, I wonder if there is any connection to our different successes in learning the Spanish language. She is almost fluent while the Ticos either give me blank stares, tilt their heads or gasp and giggle when I speak. Even back in elementary school, my worst grades were always in language arts, I think that had something to do with reading and writing, while my best grades were consistently in math, science and the geography part of social studies. I try not to label things as one might become what he thinks, but the evidence over the years is consistent.

I observe our little boys, and note their differing intellectual, physical, emotional strengths and find it interesting that over the past four plus years, some of the same patterns have persisted. At the same time, I need to be careful about the labels and ensure that they are encouraged to experiment and to experience development in a variety of areas. The development of neuronal connections in each brain varies. It starts as a genetic message coded in our DNA passed to us from our biological parents. Brain development is then influenced by our environment, fetal and post-birth. Diet, exercise and social bonding are big factors in brain development.

More food for thought. I recently read about research that indicated a 70 year old can pursue some type of intellectual challenge for one year, and reduce the effective brain age by 40 years. Yes, this is vague, but in summary: Exercise your brain, it can't hurt.

OK, the sun is up and the Mot Mots are hoot hooting. Should be another beautiful summer day. Signed M.