Page 127 - The Miracle in the Ant

The perfect division of labour governing the lives of ants is observed
here also. Large ants tear up the food and defend it against strangers,
while smaller ones take care of carrying the pieces home. A worker lifts
the food with its jaw and keeps it in front of it while returning home.
When there is a group, the substance they can carry becomes even larg-
er. They lift the food by using one or two legs. At the same time, they
bite the food, opening their jaws. Workers apply different techniques,
depending on their positions and their directions. Those in front walk
backwards, pulling the food. Those at the back walk forward, pushing
it, and those at the sides give support. By this technique, it is possible
to carry weights many times greater than what a single ant can carry. In
fact, it has been observed that ants acting in unison can carry a weight
5,000 times as heavy as that carried by a single worker. 100 ants can car-
ry a large worm at ground level, moving it 0.4 cm per second.

Ants and Scent Tracks

Communication by tracks (following of scent tracks) is a technique
that is commonly used by ants. There are many interesting examples on
the subject:
An ant species living in American deserts secretes a special scent pro-
duced in its venom sac if it realizes that the dead bug it has found is too

Harun Yahya 127