War: Ants Edition

Many people can believe that humans are the owners of the world, that we are the dominant specie and that we have colonized every continent, but it doesn't have to be that way. This planet has other owners besides humans. We are the animal species that reigns over a quarter of the surface, however, the ants that live beneath our feet have the power to claim ownership of the planet. Anthills habit practically every corner of the map, including almost all the archipelagos. The only areas that the ants can not colonize are those which persistent ice; not because they freeze to death, but rather because they have nothing to eat.

The most fascinating fact about ants is that they have a history, replete with nations, empires, and wars, but only in the last few years have we realized the staggering magnitude of their historical facts. We have always known that they are social beings who live by solidarity work, nobody could imagine that they can also start wars, massacre their peers and enslave other species.

Nature is known to be cruel, and reality is always stranger than science fiction. Just as resources are a source of human conflict, they are also among ants, but the reason for their behaviour is not only because of territory or food, but also labour. There are species that kidnap others since they are larvae and use them as slaves from birth to death. These slaves, unable to leave offspring, need to be constantly replaced, it will only cause more war.

Scientists have shown that these creatures employ war tactics similar to humans. As if that were not enough, one of the most striking aspects that they discovered is that they can also use biochemical weapons, being the most powerful and destructive equipment in their arsenal. To understand how they work, you must first know how they communicate with each other.

Evolution has always rewarded the strongest or most intelligent, and ants are not far behind. Time had given they the cuticle of their exoskeleton that contains a particular combination of carbohydrates that changes from one colony to another; this seems to be the key factor that gives them their identity, which depends on genetics. During a battle, the worst that could happen to you, if you were an ant, is that your scent was mistaken for one of the enemies. So, how can you imagine, those ant weapons of mass destruction consist of chemical signals which penetrate enemy lines baffling their rivals and causing them to kill each other.

The next time you find an ant colony in the street, don't disturb them. They will be willing to do everything possible to defend their nest, even if it means death. As long as the queen lives, the rest of the group will too.

By: Jesus Alejandro Dzul Tun