A photo from open sources
Although ants are relatively small insects, as it turned out, they are smart enough. This fact is evidenced by the discovery, which the scientists who watched their life did. It turns out ants are not only perfectly organized and hardworking, but also savvy. For example, during a flood, these insects able to build rafts very quickly to save themselves and their queens. Moreover, if the situation is critical, ants build rafts using their bodies as material. Holding tight one after another, they quickly form practically waterproof floating ship. Specialist Jessica Purcell (University of Lausanne), suggests that under adverse environmental conditions social organisms have an undeniable advantage because can respond collectively, organizedly and quickly, as a result which work harmoniously and perform tasks that are even human may seem impossible. Surprisingly for shaping the base of the “living” raft, worker ants use their cubs, and then they themselves unite in the rest of its structure. His the queen ants are always placed in the safest place – in the center of the raft. The fact that ants place their cubs in the most dangerous part of the raft for their life, many scientists plunged into light shock. However, in the course of further experiments and observations it was discovered that exactly the kids are the most floating members of the ant community. It turns out, when building a “living” raft ants take this feature into account, as a result of which the whole group only wins significantly minimal losses of their brothers. However, ants are far from the only creatures that are able to join forces for self preservation. Purcell and her colleagues said that Japanese bees, defending themselves from large predatory hornets, form around them so called a “stove,” inside of which they begin to raise the temperature, in such a cunning way to kill uninvited guests. Another interesting an example of self-defense was demonstrated by leaf ant ants. Warriors of this species, protecting their more vulnerable brethren, form around the invaders whole defensive lines, completely blocking any enemy creeps.
Life Insects
