Ant With Red Butt: The Real Origin Of The Red Butt & How It Comes About

Did you know that the red butt ants or ant with red butt, as they are commonly referred to, do not originally have this red butt? Yes, this red butt is as a result of a parasite that grows inside them.

This topic was a very interesting one, and I trust you will enjoy it as I have poured the result of my research into this informative, well-written article.

Now let us discuss this ant!

 

What is the Real Name of the Red Butt Ant?

The ant with red butt is commonly referred to as Kaka-sikikoko in the Kwaza language in Brazil. This ant is scientifically referred to as Cephalotes atratus, belongs to the genus Cephalotes, and is a species of arboreal ant.

Did you know that the Cephalotes atratus do not originally have red butts? In fact, in the next topic below, I will explain just how these red butts come about.

Just before we delve into that topic, it is important that you are able to describe these ants based on their bodily features in case you ever come across one.

Below are the body characteristics of Cephalotes atratus, if they are still in their normal form:

• Of course, they have black bodies.
• These termites are quite large.
  • The males reach lengths of 14 mm
  • The females reach lengths of 20 mm
  • The workers measure between 8 and 13 mm in length.
• The workers have powerful mandibles, which they use to gnaw through wood.

 

Read also: Ants In Alabama: Studying The 3 Most Important Ants In Mississippi

 

How Does the Red Butt Ant Come About? (Lifecycle)

I promised you I was going to tell you how the red butt ants come about, and I will do just that. Below are the detailed steps by which this ant comes to be:

• A frugivorous bird feeds on an ant (Cephalotes atratus) that has been infected by a tetradonematid nematode parasite, commonly referred to as Myrmeconema neotropicum.
• After consuming the ant, the eggs of the parasite then pass through the bird’s digestive system and are defecated without affecting the eggs.
• The ants then come out of their nests to pick up the defecated eggs.
• The ants take the eggs back to the nest and feed them to their larvae.
• Once inside the larvae, the eggs migrate to the gaster (the bulbous posterior portion of the hind region of the ant’s body), where they mature fully.
• By the time the ant larvae grow to their pupal stage, the parasite eggs are already mature and begin reproducing inside the gaster.
• When the ants mature, they proceed to mate, and then the male ant dies shortly afterward.
• Since the females live longer than the males, they begin to exhibit signs of the parasite in their gaster.
  • The gaster becomes translucent, which allows the red embryo in the gaster to be clearly visible.
• Since frugivorous birds love to feed on red berries, the parasitized ant mimics the red berries and is then consumed by the bird.
• I am sure you know what happens next. The cycle starts all over again.

 

Where is the Habitat of the Ant With Red Butt?

You will often find these ants nesting in the hollow parts of huge live or dead trees. These ants are good engineers too and excavate complex tunnels in the tree.

They usually have small entrances to this nest, but a peek into the inside of it is quite astonishing. The worker ants usually go out daily to search for food sources to return back to the nest.

This must be how they come across the eggs that have been defecated by the frugivorous birds.

 

Read also: Benefits of Eating Ants; Top 10 Nutritious Facts About Eating Ants

 

What Does the Ant with Red Butt Eat?

Red butt ants are foragers, as I had previously mentioned, and basically feed on anything eatable that they come across. It will interest you to know that they are omnivores as well.

Even though they are omnivores, they rarely feed on plant materials. Below is a list of what red butt ants eat:

• Garbage
• Treehopper secretions
• Carrion
• Insect remains
• Other insects

 

Conclusion

The ant with red butt is quite an interesting ant and I really had fun researching this ant species. I’m quite sure you had fun reading this too, though.

From being regular black ants, they develop to be known as the “ant with red butt”.

I want to believe that I have successfully answered all the questions relating to the ant with red butt. However, if you still have further questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below!

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