Highest Rated Comments


Apparatii12 karma

Hi Dr. Wilson!

At extreme risk of gushing, I first read "The Ants" while doing a study abroad trip in Madagascar, which eventually led to fieldwork, a paper, and eventually the beginnings of a career in Entomology. My project was on the behavior of Pheidole longispinosa, an interesting member of my favorite Genus.

This isn't so much a question, just a thank you. If I had not been given that book by a dear friend and Myrmecologist, I likely never would have found myself in this extremely fulfilling field.

I do have one question though, ants are probably one of the most important invertebrate taxa ecologically, and they certainly deserve more recognition then they get. It is clear that ants are capable of colonizing disturbed environments more effectively than some other insect groups. Despite this talent for dealing with rough environments, do you believe that ant species richness/diversity is a particularly useful measure of forest/ecosystem health?