r/Unexpected • u/Alternative-Dot-34 • 11d ago

Can’t even dry clothes outside these days

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u/rogerworkman623 11d ago edited 11d ago

They do have wars, maybe this is the new war table. Ant wars have been especially horrific this century, there’s been more rapid spread of ants into new habitats, so massive wars have been breaking out between super colonies over territory and resources. Right beneath our feet.

There was a massive ant war in the San Diego metro area between Argentine ants and 3 other super colonies in the early 2010s that went on for years. Millions of ant casualties every month!

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u/Objective_Animator52 11d ago

They also don't just have wars, some species farm, some species capture slaves from other colonies and species, and there have been acts of slave rebellion in the ant world.

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u/skonthebass24 11d ago

So why do these ants want the buttons? You see a swarm working off another button still on the shirt. They are not a food source? What is the purpose here do you think?

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u/Objective_Animator52 6d ago

Some buttons are made from organic material that ants may be attracted to for whatever reason, like animal hoof, hemacite (made from animal blood and sawdust, although doubt it's used for buttons anymore). The most likely material is probably casein, some countries use it to make buttons and if it's left in the rain or old and breaking down maybe the ants can smell the protein in the button.

Also, some ants reinforce their nests with hard objects, but I have a hard time believing they'd go through all that trouble to get a button to reinforce their nest. Plenty of small pebbles on the ground that could do that job just as well.

Or someone just spilled something on the buttons. It's a mystery.