Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
- Acromyrmexbob
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2199
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 pm
Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
OK, not sure this is technically in its correct home here but its a pet hate of mine and I wanted to put this out there.
I have always referred to Leaf Cutting Ants as Leaf Cutting Ants. Others, I think mainly in America, call them Leaf Cutter Ants.
Personally I think the following nomenclature should be adopted but I am open to your abuse, criticism and ridicule regarding this.
From a simple english correctness the term should either be Leaf Cutters or Leaf Cutting Ants. You could not say Leaf Cuttings and it makes no sense to say Leaf Cutter Ants which is why I either call them Leaf Cutting Ants or Leaf Cutters.
I know, its sad, but there you are!
I have always referred to Leaf Cutting Ants as Leaf Cutting Ants. Others, I think mainly in America, call them Leaf Cutter Ants.
Personally I think the following nomenclature should be adopted but I am open to your abuse, criticism and ridicule regarding this.
From a simple english correctness the term should either be Leaf Cutters or Leaf Cutting Ants. You could not say Leaf Cuttings and it makes no sense to say Leaf Cutter Ants which is why I either call them Leaf Cutting Ants or Leaf Cutters.
I know, its sad, but there you are!
- Deansie26
- Major
- Posts: 1237
- Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:30 pm
- Location: Scotland
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
lol, has this annoyed you the older you get?
Last edited by Deansie26 on Fri Dec 11, 2015 1:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Acromyrmexbob
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2199
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 pm
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
A lot of things annoy me the older I get!!
- Leafcutter
- Minim
- Posts: 256
- Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 4:12 pm
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
Also Andrew, you seem to always spell A. octospinosus with an 'i' instead of a 'u'? Is that just a synonym?
Atta cephalotes (2019)
Camponotus detritus (2018)
Camponotus maculatus (2018)
- Acromyrmexbob
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2199
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 pm
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
Its a bad habit and stems back a few years when I was creating 'clever' passwords for accessing emails etc. I spelled all of them with an 'i' then realised that I was writing octospinosus with an i all the time. Embarrassing but what can you do. I thought about acting as if everyone else was stupid and that it always should have been an 'i' but I think that approach was destined to failure. So now I have actually got to consciously remember to write it with a 'u' and so many times I remember after I have sent something or posted it. So frustrating. Just remember its octospinosus regardless of what I write. So annoying.
- Acromyrmexbob
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2199
- Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 pm
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
I would be interested in some of the members who have joined since this post went up and what they think of this?Acromyrmexbob wrote:OK, not sure this is technically in its correct home here but its a pet hate of mine and I wanted to put this out there.
I have always referred to Leaf Cutting Ants as Leaf Cutting Ants. Others, I think mainly in America, call them Leaf Cutter Ants.
Personally I think the following nomenclature should be adopted but I am open to your abuse, criticism and ridicule regarding this.
From a simple english correctness the term should either be Leaf Cutters or Leaf Cutting Ants. You could not say Leaf Cuttings and it makes no sense to say Leaf Cutter Ants which is why I either call them Leaf Cutting Ants or Leaf Cutters.
I know, its sad, but there you are!
-
- Sub-Major
- Posts: 596
- Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2015 3:59 pm
- Location: England
- Contact:
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
Leaf cutting ants - it sounds way better
I keep over 20 species of ant, inc. Acromyrmex Octospinosus
Owner of AntKeepingShop (www.antkeepingshop.weebly.com)
Owner of AntKeepingShop (www.antkeepingshop.weebly.com)
- Deansie26
- Major
- Posts: 1237
- Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:30 pm
- Location: Scotland
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
It doesn't bother me either way, but in your position I can understand why it would Andrew
- Bitterlime
- Minim
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2015 4:59 pm
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
I use both! if I'm talking about ants then I will say leaf cutter but if I'm writing I will use leaf cutting ants!
-
- Worker
- Posts: 437
- Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:30 am
Re: Leaf Cutters v's Leaf Cutting Ants
Oddly enough, there was a question on Pointless recently (tv programme) and one of the answers was "Leaf Cutter Ants". I thought it was odd at the time.