Page 63 - The Miracle in the Ant

long the Most Beautiful Names: Everything in the heavens and
earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Surat Al-
Hashr: 24)

Wood Ants
Wood ants are famous for the hills they build from pine needles and
thin branches on top of their underground nests. The nest is usually
founded around a tree log. The portion of the nest above ground, made
up of twigs, leaf stems, and pine needles, is the roof of the nest. This
roof may reach up to 2 metres in height, it prevents seepage of rain in-
side and regulates the temperature of the nest in very hot or very cold
weather. 32
Wood ants, like the others, are also very hard working. They keep re-
decorating their nests continuously. They transfer the original surface
layer to the lower layers in stages and they bring up material from the
lower layers to replace the upper level. An interesting observation was
made of the changes the ants make in the nest. Blue dye was sprayed
on top of the hill of the nest and in four days it was observed that the
top of the hill was again brown. Blue particles were found 8-10 cms be-
low the surface. Within one month these particles went down to a depth
of 40 cm. Subsequently, these blue particles have reached the surface
once again.
Well, do these ants perform this continuous transportation process
just for the sake of doing it? No. Researchers explain why wood ants en-
gage in this perpetual act as follows: The perpetual motion dries the hu-
mid substances inside at the surface and prevents the formation of fun-
gi. Otherwise, the ants would have a nest occupied by harmful fungi.
In such a situation there are two possibilities. One is that very long
ago the ants, by their own research, discovered the fact that fungi de-
velop in a humid environment, (something which man discovered as a
result of long term scientific research) and developed the most rational
method to eliminate this problem! The other possibility is that the con-
ception and implementation of this perfect process can only be through
inspiration by a supreme intellect. The impossibility of the first case is
obvious. The One Who has inspired the ants to protect themselves from
the fungi and shown them how to do so is, of course, the Almighty
Allah.

Harun Yahya 63