Back in the Australian rainforest,
this weaver ant fortress sits at the heart of a rich territory.
Hunting parties go out to gather food to fuel their growing numbers.
Some canopy caterpillars are not killed, but farmed by the ants.
They exude a sugary secretion that the ants collect.
In return, the ants mount a guard
to protect the caterpillar wherever it goes.
But a successful colony inevitably attracts enemies.
This jumping spider’s body shape…
resembles that of an ant.
A disguise good enough to fool these nursery guards.
It’s after one of the colony’s most valuable assets…
the grubs.
In a colony numbering tens of thousands, a single grub is an insignificant loss.
But the rich territory of a successful colony
draws more destructive enemies.
Raiders from a neighbouring weaver ant colony,
looking to expand their own empire.
Invaders are quickly spotted.
The guard releases pheromones to alert the rest of the colony.
They stream out of the nest to defend their home.
If the home defences fail…
the colony will be wiped out.
Some of the defenders deploy their most potent weapon.
They squirt formic acid.
The stinging liquid halts the invaders in their tracks.
And now the home guard can go on the offensive.
Home and territory are secure once again.
A colony may lose many workers in defence of its home.
But their sacrifice helps safeguard the next generation.
