November 28 2002

Have you ever looked for one thing and found something else? Isaac Asimov, a well-known writer, once said, "The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' [I found it!] but 'That's funny....' "

One day, two scientists at UCLA Stunt Ranch Reserve were watching colonies of honey-pot ants and they found something funny.

As they dug up a nest entrance, they saw small, blind, yellowish worker ants and larger soldier ants. Could these be army ants? The funny part was that these kinds of ants are rarely seen in California.

They showed samples to another scientist. He agreed that they were a species of army ants whose scientific name is Neivamyrmex leonardi.

Army ants are known for eating anything in their path. For food they raid other ant or termite colonies. Little else is known about them because they live underground and hunt mostly at night.

The scientists will continue to study the ants and observe how they relate to other ants at Stunt Ranch.

The UCLA Stunt Ranch Reserve is a 310-acre outdoor classroom and living laboratory homesteaded by the Stunt family in 1885. It is home to a variety of animals and insects, including the ants described here. You can learn more by taking part in one of the environmental programs offered for grades K-12 by the Cold Creek Docents. For more info, call (818) 346-9675, Ext. 343. For free curriculum guides and more information on the Stunt Ranch Reserve, visit nrs.ucop.edu/ reserves/stunt.html or call (310) 206-3887.

*This Learning Link was written by Carol Felixson, director of Education / Community Outreach, UCLA Stunt Ranch, Santa Monica Mountains Reserve.
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Copyright 2002 Los Angeles Times