Dead Ant
This morning, I closely followed the progress of a particularly dedicated ant, hauling another dead ant away. I can only assume that the live ant was taking the dead ant back to the nest. It made me wonder why. Is this a military ant... never leave a fallen comrade? Or a teacher ant... no ant left behind?
At one point, the live ant dropped the dead ant and appeared to be having trouble regaining her hold (I've read that all ants are female... is that true?). So, I took a stick and flipped the dead ant so that she would be more easily carried. Luckily, Live Ant was then able to get a better grip on Dead Ant and they continued on.
While this was going on, the dogs were having great fun wrestling all over the place. I asked them nicely to not wrestle over the ant, and certainly not to step on her as she's making such a valiant effort. She tripped over rocks and climbed grass and dodged dogs. Live Ant was a super-hero ant.
When I searched Google for more information on the treatment of dead ants, I mostly found information about how ants in the nest pile their dead friends in a corner. But I found nothing about traveling what amounts to (in ant measurements) miles and miles with a dead friend on your back.
I'm still not really sure why an ant would do that. Are they going to eat the ants in the dead ant pile? If not, why bother to bring Dead Ant home? Regardless, I admire Live Ant for her tenacity.
At one point, the live ant dropped the dead ant and appeared to be having trouble regaining her hold (I've read that all ants are female... is that true?). So, I took a stick and flipped the dead ant so that she would be more easily carried. Luckily, Live Ant was then able to get a better grip on Dead Ant and they continued on.
While this was going on, the dogs were having great fun wrestling all over the place. I asked them nicely to not wrestle over the ant, and certainly not to step on her as she's making such a valiant effort. She tripped over rocks and climbed grass and dodged dogs. Live Ant was a super-hero ant.
When I searched Google for more information on the treatment of dead ants, I mostly found information about how ants in the nest pile their dead friends in a corner. But I found nothing about traveling what amounts to (in ant measurements) miles and miles with a dead friend on your back.
I'm still not really sure why an ant would do that. Are they going to eat the ants in the dead ant pile? If not, why bother to bring Dead Ant home? Regardless, I admire Live Ant for her tenacity.
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| Image by Leona2013 from Pixabay |
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