Defense mechanism of ants The Hague - compressed version

© 2016 IBM Corporation

Security according to Leafcutter AntsCollaboration strategy based on 120 million years of warfare experience

Mike Chung | Associate Partner IBM Security

May 2016

2© 2016 IBM Corporation

Items

§ Why ants?

– 120 million years of warfare and survival

§ How do ants deal with security?

– Defense collaboration in practice

§ What can we learn?

– Applying the defense mechanism of ants on threat intelligence


Why ants?


Ants in everyday life

§ Common ant: Lasius niger – dairy farming

§ Yellow Meadow ant: Lasius flavus – underground farming

§ Red wood ant: Formica rufa – ingenious ventilated nests


Ants in everyday life


Origins


Origins

§ From Cretaceous, 120 million years ago - Sphecomyrma

§ Same ancestor as wasps

§ Semi-communal, more complex societies during the course of evolution


Classification

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Wasps


Classification

Hymenoptera

Formicidae Atta and Acromyrmex

Wasps Other 8 genera


Classification

§ Order of Hymenoptera

§ Family of Formicidae

§ 15,000 species known


Eusociology

§ Cooperation in raising juveniles (larvae)

§ At least two generations in one colony

§ Coexistence of reproductive and non-reproductive members


Eusociology

Larvae

Colony

Adults


Eusociology

Larvae

Colony

Adult generation 1 Adult generation 2


Eusociology

Larvae

Colony

Adult generation 1 Adult generation 2

Reproductive members


Complexity

§ Number of “individuals” – up to 200 million (Formica yessensis) with 45,000 interconnected nests

§ Maximum usage of brain capacity

§ Complex social and networking structures

§ Complex communication protocols


Share of eusocial insects

Total number of animal species (2 million)

Number of insect species (1 million)

Eusocial insect species (0.02 million)


Share of eusocial insects

Total bio-mass of animals

Eusocial insects' bio-mass (30%)


Queens

§ Monogynous: one queen

§ Polygynous: many queens


Taking a closer look at: Leafcutter ants


Leafcutter ants

§ About 50 species; two genera, Atta and Acromyrmex

§ Central and South America

§ Cutting and processing fresh leaves


Leafcutter ants

§ According to Myrmecologists, leafcutter ants form the most complex animal societies

§ Nests air-conditioned:

– Right temperature

– Right level of humidity

– Right level of ventilation

§ Castes of reproductives (queen(s)) and non-reproductives (workers, males)


Roles

§ Queen

§ Workers

§ Males


Roles

Non-reproductives

Reproductives


Roles

Non-reproductives

ReproductivesQueen MalesReproductive

females


Roles

Non-reproductives


females


Roles

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors


Roles

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

Soldiers Foragers

Assemblers CarersHitchhikers Gardeners


Roles

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

Soldiers Foragers

Assemblers CarersHitchhikers Gardeners

Age


Roles: defense

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

Predators

Competitors

Parasitic flies Parasitic fungi

Crop diseasesInfections

Environmental threats


Threat landscapeEnvironmental threats:

- Flooding- Drought

Enemies:

- Predators- Competitors

Pests:

- Parasitic flies- Parasitic fungi

Diseases:

- Crop diseases- Infections


Roles

§ Age polyethism

§ Physical polyethism

§ Combination of the above


Flexibility of roles

§ Young workers:

– Inside the colony

– Easy tasks

§ Older, experienced workers:

– Outside the colony

– Complex tasks

– Defense


Flexibility of roles

§ Small workers:

– Delicate tasks

– Defense against parasites (inside as well as on leaves to attack parasitic flies)

§ Large workers:

– Physically intensive tasks; cutting and carrying leaves

– Defense


Complexity of environment vs. flexibility of roles

Static roles Dynamic roles

Low complexity, e.g. desert

High complexity, e.g.

rain forest


Defense strategy

§ Sanitation – keeping the nest clean

– Dead ants triggers scent signal to have them removed

§ Careful selection of nest location

– Looking for signs of early attempts

§ Flexibility

– Every member monitors for dangers

– Every member contributes to defense


Crown juwel(s)

§ Only one queen – single point/specimen of failure

§ Every year, a new offspring of reproductive females and males

§ Survival of genes

§ Improvement of gene pool – most colonies conduct their nuptial flights during the same period and same time of the day

§ More chance of outbreeding

§ Females (queens) carrying spermatheca of 3 to 8 males (polyandry)


Polyandry

§ Females (queens) carrying spermatheca of 3 to 8 males (polyandry)

§ Better resistance to diseases


Identity management

§ Authentication based on nest-specific pheromones

§ Pheromones:

– Authentication

– Communication

§ Poison excretion: danger!

§ Ultrasonic sound: help!


Alternative plans

§ Alternative nests

§ Alternative food sources – plant sap

§ Alternative defense mechanisms


Collaboration

Threat(s) Information gathering


Collaboration

Threat(s) Information gathering Immediate alert Massive response

Grave danger


Collaboration


AlertCorrelation

Grave danger

Local danger

Response


Collaboration


Alert

Collective storage of events

Correlation

Grave danger

Local danger

False alarm

Response

Sharing of information


Communication: information sharing

Potential threat

Colony/group of ants

Ant 1



Potential threat


Pheromone mark

Ant 1


Pheromone mark


Potential threat


Ant 1

Ant 2, 3



Potential threat


Ant 1

Ant 2, 3



Potential threat


Ant 1

Many ants

Ant 2, 3


Continuity alternatives

Threat(s) Plan A: Fight back Continuation of colony

Plan C: Disperse (only when reproductive females present)

B1: Join

Survival of genes

Plan B: Move to family nest B2: Usurp


Threat landscapeEnvironmental threats:

- Flooding- Drought

Enemies:

- Predators- Competing ants

Pests:

- Parasitic flies- Parasitic fungi

Diseases:

- Crop diseases- Infections


MitigationsEnvironmental threats:

• Alternative locations• “Hibernation”

Enemies:

• Nest architecture• Physical defense mechanisms

Pests:

• Polyethism• Ventilation system

Diseases:

• Sanitation• Polyandry (genetic diversity)


Nest architecture

Nest

Queen’s chamber

Empty chamberLarvae & cocoons chamber

Fungus chamber

Waste chamberFungus

chamber

Alternate chamber

Mounds “Emergency” exit/entrance

Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber


Nest architecture: defense components

Nest

Queen’s chamber


Fungus chamber

Waste chamberFungus

chamber

Alternate chamber


Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber

Hard surface



Nest

Queen’s chamber


Fungus chamber

Waste chamberFungus

chamber

Alternate chamber


Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber

Hard surface

Multiple exits/entrances



Nest

Queen’s chamber


Fungus chamber

Waste chamberFungus

chamber

Alternate chamber


Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber

Hard surface

Multiple exits/entrances

Escape rooms

Blocks

Blocks


Colony architecture

Queen and larvae

Young/small workers

Experienced/large workers


Ant literature

§ Bert Hölldobler & Edward O. Wilson: The Leafcutter Ants, Civilization by Instinct

§ Edward O. Wilson & Bert Hölldobler: The Superorganism, the Beauty, Elegance, and Strangeness of Insect Societies


Contact details

Drs. Mike Chung RE CISSP

Associate Partner IBM Security

[email protected]

+31 6 2565 7593

+82 10 3521 7754

Defense mechanism of ants The Hague - compressed version

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