Natures wonders: ant colony work arrangements (Introduction)

by David Turell @, Saturday, September 09, 2017, 14:48 (2630 days ago) @ dhw

QUOTE: "'My speculation is this: Since young workers start out as the most vulnerable members of the colony, it makes sense for them to lay low and be inactive," Charbonneau says. "And because their ovaries are the most active, they produce eggs, and while they're doing that, they might as well store food. When the colony loses workers, it makes sense to replace them with those ants that are not already busy pursuing other tasks.'"

DAVID’S comment: Makes good organizational sense. Certainly doing it by instinct at this point. Originally guided by God?

dhw: Wonderful article! Thank you. I think ants probably hold the key to many aspects of evolution. Originally guided by God? My speculation would be originally guided by their own intelligence. God may come into it when we ask where their intelligence came from.

The other issue is the origin of the different classes of ants to set up their societal arrangement. God again?


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