In war, they’ve done the horrific. They’ve looted food from enemy homes — maybe even killing the
women and children. They’ve employed suicide bombings. They’ve launched toxic attacks. They’ve even
engaged in cannibalism.
Ants, that is.
Ant colonies bear similarities to human communities: That’s been fleshed out and personified before,
from sharply delineated social order to death rituals to strict punishment for illicit behavior and
treachery.
They’ve got complex societies with a rigid division of labor and ingrained conventions that let them eat,
reproduce and wage war as a single unit. Given their massive populations and, as the famed entomologist
E.O. Wilson writes, their “unity of purpose [and] social machinery,” it’s no surprise that ants are also
bonafide masters of war.
“When it comes to war-fighting, ant species are more similar to humans than most other animals, even
primates,” ecologist and photojournalist Mark Moffett tells Danger Room. “Societies with population
explosions, that extend into the millions, are prone to large-scale, intense, tactical warfare. It’s a nature of
battle only possible among communities with plenty of excess labor force.”
Moffett’s been tracking, photographing and analyzing ant behavior for years, following colonies
everywhere from California to Nigeria. The treks informed a book, Adventures Among Ants, where Moffett
lays out — using some incredible, up-close photography — some of the war-fighting similarities between
ants and humans.
At first, some of the critter’s combat strategies seem barbaric or downright bizarre. Until you realize that
humans have a long history of employing many of the same tactics.

SCROLL DOWN AND LEARN

Roamin’ Ants, Roman Legions

For example, take the army ant, of which around 130 species have been identified in the Americas alone.
The ants operate much like Roman armies. Moving as a massive, united front, they depend entirely on the
element of surprise.
But unlike human armies, “these ants don’t have spies or scouts,” Moffett says. Instead, they accumulate
as many troops as possible, and coordinate a quick offensive surge meant to overwhelm the enemy. Why?
Usually, to lay claim to new territory that’s got ample food — once they’ve eaten it up, the ant army
moves onto the next target.

Tactical Deception:
Like humans, ants can try to outwit foes with cheats and lies. Here, two ants face off in an effort to prove
their superiority — which, in this ant species, is designated by physical height. But the wily ant on the
right is standing on a stone/pebble to gain a solid inch over his nemesis.
Before this discovery, tactical deception was thought to be restricted to “big-brained” animals like apes
and humans. “It’s unclear whether the ants learned this tactic, or are born with it,” Moffett says. “But
that shorter ant will hustle away.”

Lanchester’s Law, Part I:

Much like the war-fighting formula laid out by Frederick Lanchester during World War I, army ants
engage in combat by emphasizing the size of the army and strategic placement, rather than troop caliber.
Which means “cheap labor” is assigned to the front lines.
“These aren’t the muscular ‘Mel Gibson in Braveheart‘ soldiers, roaring toward the enemy,” Moffett says.
“Mostly, the “bravest” individuals — the ones that first put themselves in harm’s way — are the smallest,
weakest ants, as well as the older ants and the cripples, the throwaways.”
In some ant armies, there can be millions of expendable troops sweeping forward in a dense swarm that’s
up to 100 feet wide. In the photo below, showing the marauder ant in Malaysia, several of the weak ants
are being sliced in half by a larger enemy termite with black, scissor-like jaws.

Lanchester’s Law, Part II:

The mega-sized army ant forces are strategically coordinated so that the few Braveheart-caliber killers can
sweep in and destroy, but only after expendable workers have rendered the enemy helpless.
In a move that’s also known as “the death blow,” a soldier ant — whose huge head is packed with
muscles for gut-crushing obliteration — eventually advances from behind the front lines and takes out the
termite adversary. How does she do it? “By chomping down,” Moffett says.

The Gathering Storm

According to Moffett, we might actually learn a thing or two from how ants wage war. For one, ant armies
operate with precise organization despite a lack of central command.”We’re accustomed to being told
what to do,” Moffett says. “I think there’s something to be said for fewer layers of control and oversight.”
Which, according to Moffett, is what can make human cyberwar and terrorist cells so effective. Battles
waged on the web are often “downright ant-like,” with massive, networked groups engaging in strategic
teamwork to rise up with little hierarchy. “Such ‘weak ties’ — wide-ranging connections that take us
beyond the tight-knit groups we interact with regularly — are likely of special importance in organizing
both ants and people,” Moffett notes in his book.
Ants are also ultimately loyal, fighting as a “superorganism” rather than individuals. Even the most
patriotic humans can’t compare: “It’d be like having the Nigerian flag tattooed to you at birth,” he says.
“They are permanently indentured to their society.” And while ants will readily die for their community,
they’re also remarkably pragmatic — a characteristic humans rarely emulate.
“An ant would never go out of its way to save another ant,” Moffett says. “They go in to get the job done,
not take care of one another.”

What is this with ant thread this days?....This one is fascinating though

Ok.
heard ant is trending down here this days

According to Moffett, we might actually learn a thing or two from how ants wage war.

Nothing to learn, we don't have enough expendables to sacrifice, that is why we as human utilise strategic, command force approach

I always had this soft spot for these miniaturised, relentless soldiers. I can remember watching a colony of ants, whenever I come across one, for hours.
Something I can't do anymore
To make it all dramatic, I swore never to squash an ant ever again(unless they break the truce, and bite me sha ), after seeing some ants Movies (A Bugs Life, ant Z, etc). That's to tell you how much I love this nature's blessing.
Why isn't this on FP? If it was TECNO, ANNIE IDIBIA, or TANIA OMOTAYO, it will be on FP already

interesting.

We now have ant revolution on Nairaland, observing.

Interesting

Chai no wonder GOD tells us 2 go learn 4rm d ants

Why isn't this on FP? If it was TECNO, ANNIE IDIBIA, or TANIA OMOTAYO, it will be on FP already [/quote] nah, its more like if its about LINDA IKEJI, GEJ/PEJ, GMB/TINUBU/FASHOLA/AMAECHI, APPLE, PSQUARE, ET.C

Ant threads!!! I enjoy killing them sha

oh

Since the ants are not among the saTANs or Heyphisi then it won't make front page. Sometimes i wonder if nairaland was a campaign zone. SMH

Wonderful creatures.

Proverbs 6 has a beautiful analogy from the lifestyle of ants we can learn from