CULT:Small brains, hard workers, and almost pine straw

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• Subject: [iris] CULT:Small brains, hard workers, and almost pine straw
• From: O*@aol.com
• Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 20:36:47 EST
• List-archive: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris/> (Web Archive)

ANTS' NESTS STAY PINE-FRESH
Insects collect resin to keep disease at bay.
http://www.nature.com/nsu/030106/030106-2.html

"The ants, Formica paralugubris, gather grains of hardened sap from the 
conifers that surround their nests, reports Michel Chapuisat of Lausanne 
University. A large nest can contain up to 20 kilograms of the stuff. Conifer 
resin contains antibiotic chemicals, and may protect the trees against 
infection. 
Chapuisat's team created nests with and without resin. Those without had 
three times more fungus growing in them, and contained significantly more 
disease-causing bacteria."

Reachin' for pine straws,
Bill Burleson
Old South Iris Society

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