Page 35 - The Miracle in the Ant

glands in chemical defence and attack alarms.
Sternal Glands: The secretions here are used during colony migra-
tions and tracking prey and in gathering the "soldiers" together. The
most original function of this secretion is to lubricate the seventh ab-
dominal area of the ant that it frequently has to rotate when spurting out
venom. Thus, the turning of its body for spurting venom becomes easi-
er. Without this gland, which is a microscopic lubricant production cen-
tre, the defence system of the ant would be inefficient.
Yet this is not so, because there is a faultless design in place: How a
tiny ant would turn its body to spray venom has been established, just
as it has been pre-determined where and how this lubricant needed for
reducing strain while rotating this body shall be produced.
Metapleural Glands: It has been determined that the secretions
from these glands are antiseptics, which protect the body surface and
the nest from micro organisms. For instance, a type of acid that is a kind
of antibiotic is always found in the bodies of Attas at an amount of al-
ways 1.4 micrograms. The worker ant secretes this antiseptic hormone
in small quantities from time to time. Furthermore, if it is attacked, it
gives out this hormone to keep the enemy away. 11
Let us not forget that an ant does not know how to protect itself from
microbes and does not even know of the existence of the microbes. Yet,
its body produces the drug against its enemies without its knowing. The

On the right, we see the
anatomical diagram of the
Formica species ant. The
brain and nervous sys-
tem are shown in blue,
the digestive system in
pink, the heart in red and the
endocrine glands and related
structures in yellow: 1.
Mandibular gland. 2. Pharynx 3. Pro pha-
ryngeal gland 4. Post pharyngeal gland 5.
Brain 6. Labial gland 7. Esophagus 8. Nervous
system 9. Metapleural gland 10. Heart 11.
Stomach 12. Proventriculus 13. Malpighian
sacks 14. Middle intestine 15. Rectum 16. Anus
17. Dufour’s gland 18. Venom sack