[2010] Arboreal Ants Use the “Velcro® Principle” to Capture Very Large Prey | Insect Archive | Scoop.it
From openi.nlm.nih.gov - February 28, 2013 1:25 PM

 

In this study, we investigated the predatory behavior of the ant Azteca andreae which is associated with the myrmecophyte Cecropia obtusa.This group ambush hunting technique is particularly effective when the underside of the leaves is downy, as is the case for C. obtusa.In this case, the hook-shaped claws of the A. andreae workers and the velvet-like structure of the underside of the leaves combine to act like natural Velcro that is reinforced by the group ambush strategy of the workers, allowing them to capture prey of up to 13,350 times the mean weight of a single worker.