Mikey_Bustos: Formica fusca burying Larvae to Facilitate Cocoon Formation (25. Feb 2010 18:05)

This video follows Formica fusca workers burying larvae that are in the midst of pupating. With many species of ants that form cocoons, the larvae require debris and material in order to give the larvae a good supporting structure to spin the silk casing needed for cocoon formation. Worker ants will bury these mature larvae, and due to the nature of the Habitat Nests which house our ants, we were able to capture this rarely observed phenomenon on film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wuos-XasDA

And some photos:

http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss350/mikeybustosphotos/DSC05468.jpg

http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss350/mikeybustosphotos/DSC05472.jpg

Almost done... sand particles stripped away by worker...

http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss350/mikeybustosphotos/DSC05501.jpg

http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss350/mikeybustosphotos/DSC05486.jpg