Some quick comments on the video: 1) In fact, all ant genera within the tribe Solenopsidini produce mainly venom alkaloids (="behave as alkali") and these include hundreds of species. Fire ants are but a better studied small assemblage of species from which venom alkaloids have been identified. As mentioned in this video, most ants in which venom was studied produce acids, and these are practically all Formicinae!
2) Fire ants do not normally sting several times in the same place; it takes some time to insert the stinger and get the venom flowing out. They lack muscles on their venom sac (to avoid self-intoxication?), which is probably the cause. After they manage to sting, they generally stop biting and just wait on spot until it stops. Then they can wander a bit and sting again!
Some quick comments on the video:
ResponderExcluir1) In fact, all ant genera within the tribe Solenopsidini produce mainly venom alkaloids (="behave as alkali") and these include hundreds of species. Fire ants are but a better studied small assemblage of species from which venom alkaloids have been identified. As mentioned in this video, most ants in which venom was studied produce acids, and these are practically all Formicinae!
2) Fire ants do not normally sting several times in the same place; it takes some time to insert the stinger and get the venom flowing out. They lack muscles on their venom sac (to avoid self-intoxication?), which is probably the cause. After they manage to sting, they generally stop biting and just wait on spot until it stops. Then they can wander a bit and sting again!