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Thread: An Informative Article About Ants

  1. #1

    While there is much obsession with finding life in outer space, there are about one million different kinds of denizens of the animal world that breathe without lungs or gills, yet all have the same three body sections, six legs and antennae. I'm sure that up close, their appearance will out do any special effect space alien. Ants are just one kind of these.

    Webster's Dictionary states that King Solomon was noted for his wisdom. Thousands of years ago, Solomon wrote: "Go to the ant, consider its ways and be wise".

    A Typical Ant Nest

    Worker ant scouts returning to nest



    Egg laying Queen...........AND.......... Larvae

    The ant eggs hatch into larvae. The larvae latter grow to become full grown ants.



    The typical ant colony is usually centered around one or more egg-laying "queens". The smaller worker ants care for the queen and her eggs

    The smaller male ants and the larger queen ants all have wings. The male's life-span is short. Only the queen begins a new colony


    A typical queen ant will usually fly to a new location to start a new colony by herself. She will not need to fly any more, so she sheds her wings

    [align=left:b6158dd67d][/align:b6158dd67d]

    With their combined weight greater than the combined weight of all humans, ants are the most numerous type of animal

    Strong in relation to their size, ants can carry 10 to 20 times their body weight. They work in teams to move extremely heavy things.
    Ant brains are largest amongst insects. Mushroom shaped brain appendages have function similar to the gray-matter of human brains.

    It has been estimated that an ant's brain may have the same processing power as a Macintosh II computer.


    [align=left:b6158dd67d][/align:b6158dd67d]

    What happens when ants are painted with color dots?

    Colored dots painted on the backs of ants according to the type of work they are observed doing show that ants have specific jobs.

    So yellow dotted ants would concentrate on cleaning. Teams of green dotted ants forage outward for food. Orange dotted ants would take care of the young.

    After a few days or weeks, the ants may change their jobs as they take on new skills.

    Sometimes when a catastrophe occurs, the ants respond by quickly adapting their duties to overcome the problem




    BOTH ANTS & HUMANS SHARE THESE ENDEAVORS

    LIVESTOCK FARMING

    herd aphids & "milk" them for nectar-like food

    CULTIVATION

    growing underground gardens for food

    CHILDCARE

    feeding young & providing intensive nursery care

    EDUCATION

    teaching younger ants the tricks of the trade

    CLIMATE CONTROL

    maintaining a strict 77o F. for developing ants

    CAREER SPECIALIZATION

    changing & learning new careers

    CIVIC DUTIES

    responding with massive group projects

    ARMED FORCES

    raising an army of specialized soldier ants

    SECURITY

    warding off other ants, insects, and animals

    EARTH MOVERS

    move at least as much soil as earthworms

    SOCIAL PLANNING

    maintain ratio of workers, soldiers, & reproductives

    ENGINEERING

    tunnel from 2 directions & meet exactly midway

    COMMUNICATIONS

    complex tactile, chemical communication system

    FLOOD CONTROL

    incorporate water traps to keep out rain

    LIMITED FREE WILL

    inter-relationships more symbiotic than coercive

  2. #2

  3. #3
    Wow...

    I found this Ant farm glass case on www.Thinkgeek.com once made up of blue gel discovered by NASA or sumthin' and it looks beautiful.

    I wanted to order it for my desk, but when I think about it, it's inhumane to do that..... Gold Fish are different they are bred for the sole purpose of tanks and u can't be kind and free them.... but ants....... its i dunno kinda sad to lock em up like that...

    wot say?

    http://www.thinkgeek.com/cubegoodies/toys/6fd6/

  4. #4

  5. #5
    I hate to admit I want it on my desk .... it's so beautiful....
    But the guilt factor would kill me...

  6. #6
    hmm its beautiful but wierd ...

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  8. #8
    nice sharing.

    snaz what you can do is keep that glass case with you till guilt factor over took ur desire to keep it ...you nca then break it and set the ants free.

  9. #9
    Intresting and informative
    hey [username:48beee4c6e], i know whats on your mind

  10. #10
    hmmmmmmmm......interesting one
    A Minute They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

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