Overview
This lecture follows the journey of a queen ant as she builds her colony over one thousand days, facing threats from rival ant colonies and surviving multiple attacks.
Colony Foundation and Early Challenges
- The queen ant establishes a nest and begins laying eggs to produce the first generation of workers.
- The queen stays underground, relying on workers for protection, food gathering, and nest building.
- Early on, a wild rival ant colony approaches, prompting the workers to build a defensive wall to seal the entrance.
Food Collection and Growth
- The colony specializes in collecting seeds, storing them underground in a "bakery" where seeds are crushed into "ant bread."
- Ant bread serves as the main food for growing larvae, resulting in a population boom after 70 days.
- The colony requires sugars (like honey) for worker strength, but honey attracts rival ants, leading to an initial disaster.
Rival Attacks and Losses
- Rival ants invade to steal resources, devastating the colony and causing many deaths.
- Surviving ants create a graveyard for their dead, showing respect for fallen members.
- The weakened colony tries again to collect honey, this time hiding it by covering it with dirt and debris to protect it from enemies.
Defense and Survival Tactics
- Protecting the queen (the only egg-layer) is crucial for the colony's survival.
- By day 600, the colony becomes a stronghold and faces new threats, such as an invasion of 100 fruit flies.
- Ants effectively capture most flies, but some escape and encounter the ever-expanding rival colony.
War and Final Showdown
- Both colonies grow and prepare for inevitable war as the wild rivals invade and threaten the queen directly.
- Workers move the queen deeper underground and rally to defend her.
- Despite heavy losses, the colony makes a stand, defeating the rivals and forcing them to retreat for good.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Queen Ant — The reproductive female and founder of the ant colony.
- Worker Ants — Non-reproductive females responsible for foraging, nest maintenance, and defense.
- Ant Bread — Ground and processed seeds used as larval food.
- Larvae — The immature, developing stage of ants before adulthood.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review ant colony structure and roles (queen, workers, larvae).
- Study examples of ant colony defense mechanisms and resource management strategies.