Ants That Can Flow Like a Fluid, or Move Like a Solid

In a presentation at a meeting of the American Physical Society last month the researchers showed video of the ants pouring out of a funnel, like some thick and wriggling syrup, and also springing back into a rough ball shape after being pressed down.

These images illustrated the findings of the more technical research, done with rheometers to measure the precise viscosity and elasticity of balls of ants under stress. The researchers found that in different situations the ants behaved differently.

To flow, they moved around, rearranging themselves in the group, acting like a thick fluid. When the aggregation struggled to keep its shape, the ants clung to each other, acting like an elastic solid — rubber for example. In bridge construction, for instance, interest is great in materials that automatically repair cracks. The ants are experts at this kind of repair. When they turn themselves into a bridge for other ants, which they do often, they scramble to quickly repair breaks in any damage to the structure.

Potential Snowstorm Saturday Through Sunday

Potential Snowstorm Saturday Through Sunday

Currently there is the potential for a plowable snowstorm this Saturday morning through early Sunday morning. At this time the National Weather Service is trying to figure out how much warm air will get pulled into the storm causing a possible change over to rain or ice. If it stays mostly snow, the higher snow totals can be expected and lower totals if more rain occurs.

Integrated Pest Management for Billbugs in Orchardgrass

The bluegrass billbug and the hunting billbug, have caused widespread economic damage to orchardgrass, a cool season grass that is cultivated throughout the United States as a high-value forage crop. Although a number of cultural, biological, and chemical control methods have been suggested for billbugs in turfgrass and corn, there has been little focus on control in orchardgrass. Therefore, further investigations are warranted to verify the life histories of the bluegrass and hunting billbugs on orchardgrass, and feeding studies are needed to determine whether these species regularly feed on orchardgrass and, if so, how likely they are to become pests. Finally, the current measures available for control of billbugs in orchardgrass are extremely limited. New management tools, insecticides or otherwise, are required to effectively control this pest.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131204091616.htm