Our Beautiful Universe

The wonderful and mysterious world of animals is so broad that thousands of books and scientific papers have been published on this subject. Many scientists have acknowledged that there are still many unknown facts about the lives of animals that humans have not been able to identify and explore.We will mention some examples of the beauties and wonders of the animal kingdom in order to make us think more deeply about the mysteries of creation.

The Mysterious World of Ants

 Ants are creatures that are intelligent, hardworking, combative, responsible and devoted to their group. The entire life of an ant is spent in effort and all ants have a similar type of life. Whether soldier or worker ants, they are in the service of the community and strive for the survival of their colony.

 Ants live a social life and have great respect for their rules. Ants are one of the world's most regulated creatures. In every colony there are three groups of ants:
The Queen: Her Job is to lay eggs and give birth to babies.
Worker Ants: They do not have wings and their work is to collect seeds and food, dig nests and protect the eggs and babies.

Male and Female Ants: They make up the smallest number of the inhabitants of a nest and possess four thin wings.

Ants have different groups; some have only a few hundred ants within them and in others, there are several million. In any case, the responsibilities are divided in each group and each ant performs its own tasks. In the world, there exist various types of ants and depending on the environment they live in. each one eats its own particular food.

 Now we will look at some of the different kinds of ants to try to understand some of the wonders that this small insect possesses.

Harvester Ant

Gathers material from plants that are surrounding it and brings it back to its nest to make use of it.

Miller Ant

Has a large head and powerful jaws to grind seeds.

Dairy/Farmer Ant

A type of aphid exists which eats from plants, resulting in the release of honeydew. The dairying ant takes these aphids and nourishes them. The ant brings leaves for the aphid to its nest and 'milks' it for its honeydew. The actions of this ant are like that of a shepherd who takes care of his sheep.

Gardener Ant

Grows tiny mushrooms upon which it depends for food. In order to cultivate mushrooms, the ant creates a garden, which produces a paste and then it grows the mushrooms on it.

Carnivorous Ant (Army Ant)

 Among ants, the Army Am is the most fearsome because it only eats flesh and lives in tropical regions. This am launches military expeditions, and travels in colonies, which can range from several centimeters in width and up to hundreds of meters in length. In the colony, Worker Ants carry the larvae and Army Ants protect the flanks. When the colony is in motion, nothing but water or fire is able to prevent it from moving. Sometimes when there is a large body of water in from of the colony, some of the ants stick together like a rope and form a bridge so that the other ants can pass over the water. However, the ants that formed the bridge afterwards drown in the water; this is a sacrifice that they make for their fellow ants.

Weaver Ant

These ants make their nests between the leaves of tropical trees. First, they choose two leaves near to each other, and then some ants take the edge of one leaf and press down on it. The back and legs are held lightly by another group of ants and when the edges of two leaves become next to each other, one of the worker ants chooses a larva that is in the last stages of turning into pupate and by pressing the larva, drops of silk arc produced. This worker ant moves the larva back and forth and with the silk stitches the two leaves together.

The Future Awareness of Ants

Within the Honeypot Ants there is a special group of ants who hang from the ceiling of the nest and they are fed with nectar from those ants who have returned from seeking food. Their stomachs become like bags filled with nectar. When food becomes scarce, these ants are able to retrieve the nectar and dispense droplets of fluid from their stomachs into the mouths of other ants for them to eat.

Guiding Ants

Chemical molecules called pheromones, assist ants while walking on the ground to leave their imprint and guide other ants to food. This act is complex and requires training among the ants. An instructor (female) has the responsibility to train other ants in this task. First she finds a novice who is willing to follow her to look for food and provides it with instructions. When the student walks, it repeatedly comes to a halt and with its legs, hits the abdomen and legs of the instructor for it to know that she should continue with the process. If the student does not perform this act, the instructor halts. If the distance between the two becomes too great, the instructor slows down until the student speeds up. The student ant learns so well from the instructor ant that it can become a teacher and allow the transmission of knowledge between the ants to be maintained.

There are amazing instances of mutual co-existence between different kinds of animals. For example, there is a special type of fish called the Remora, which attaches itself to sharks with the aid of a sucking disc which is located on top of its head. Fastening itself to a shark, the Remora fish initiates a symbiotic co-existence: The Remora gets a free and safe ride-as there are not many fish bold enough to attack a shark - and cats off of its host's leftovers and in turn benefits the shark by cleaning it free of harmful parasites.

Another instance of a mutual relationship in the animal world is the peculiar relation that exists between a certain species of fish called Goby and a type of blind shrimp, in the depths of some seas and oceans. The near blind furrowing shrimp attaches its antennae to the Goby, following it around in search of food. In the event of an approaching danger, the Goby notifies the shrimp by flicking the shrimp with its tail. The Goby, in return, benefits from the shrimp by inhabiting the furrow made by the shrimp.