THOUGHTS OF FEMOLAD OKITI OGAN (The Ant Hill): Lessons from a colony of ants
(The Ant Hill)
The mounded nest that ants build out of dirt or sand is called an anthill. You can call a similar mound built by termites an anthill too. While an anthill is a kind of nest, it is generally formed when ants dig underground colonies and deposit the extra soil in one spot.
An ant colony is a population of a single ant species capable of maintaining its complete life cycle. Ant colonies are eusocial, communal, and efficiently organized and are very much like those found in other social Hymenoptera, though the various groups of these developed sociality independently through convergent evolution.
The typical colony consists of one or more egg-laying queens, numerous sterile females, workers, soldiers and, seasonally, many winged reproductive males and females. In order to establish new colonies, ants undertake flights that occur at species-characteristic times of the day.
The term "ant colony" refers to a population of workers, reproductive individuals, and brood that live together, cooperate, and treat one another non-aggressively.
Often this comprises the genetically related progeny from a single queen, although this is not universal across ants.
"Ant nests" are the physical spaces in which the ants live. These can be underground, in trees, under rocks, or even inside a single acorn. The name "anthill" applies to above ground nests where the workers pile sand or soil outside the entrance, forming a large mound
A supercolony occurs when many ant colonies over a large area unite. They still continue to recognize genetic differences in order to mate, but the different colonies within the super colony avoid aggression.
Ant colonies have a complex hierarchical social structure. Ants’ jobs are determined and can be changed by age. As ants grow older their jobs move them farther from the queen, or center of the colony.
Younger ants work within the nest protecting the queen and young.
These worker ants can only lay haploid eggs producing sterile offspring. Despite the title of queen, she doesn't delegate the tasks to the worker ants.
The ants choose their tasks based on personal abilities.
Ants as a colony also work as a collective "super mind". Ants can compare areas and solve complex problems by using information gained by each member of the colony to find the best nesting site or to find food.
The ant colony is so much similar to the human world but one then wonders why and how they are so organized and we are not.
In the colony every ant has a role.
The queen is the most important in the colony.
Yet she does not force roles on the inhabitants of the colony. Each ant type takes a role according to its ability. A reproductive will not covet the role and preferences of the worker.
Soldier ants diligently protect the queen and the larvae and never fail or waiver.
Workers perform their duties providing for the rest of the colony. They never go on strike.
If the human “colony” was a little like the ants, what a beautiful and peaceful world it would have been. Like the baby ants, if our youth are fed, protected and allowed to mature into whatever rolls they are good at, the world would have been better off.
The queen is the head of the colony. It has a role; procreation. It doesn’t venture into other ants’ roles. Neither do others covet her natural role as a lazy drone.
The different members have and information network among themselves which helps make up one solid network. They share information from their beats freely and seamlessly. Put together they keep the colony working like clock work.
The ants live happily with each other without any rancour in the colony.
Super colonies are like the committee of nations. Different colonies cohabit, living together and sharing resources and facilities. Each colony does not infringe on the other’s territory. No wars and no boundary conflicts. Ant species cohabit and there are “inter-tribal” skirmishes.
There is mutual respect within and among colonies.
Each plays its role without let or hindrance.
There is no envy or greed.
There is no greed or avarice.
There is no need to amass or covet.
No one wants to lord it over the other.
Like in a football team where every player has his role, life has a role for everybody.
That is why the little tiny ants are able to build their anthills better than the human race runs their world.
Wherever life has placed you.
The C.E.O.
Your Excellency
Oga at the top
Family head,
Community leader
The lowly and the little people
The poor and the needy
The artisan and the labourer
There’s a role for everybody
AND......
THERE IS A LESSON TO LEARN FROM THOSE TINY ANTS
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