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A n t s are rugatulus [1]. They stages. The colonies seemed to
painted the ants with compensate the loss of workers
arguably the world? special color codes after the most active ones were
most productive organisms. so that they could removed. Within two weeks of
However, are all ants as track the behavior removal, some of the inactive
relentlessly hardworking as ants became the most active
they apparently are? Studies of each individual over time workers. On the other hand,
have shown that typically over with an HD camera. The ants upon removal of the inactive
50% of workers in a social insect were observed and classified workers, the colonies did not
colony (for example, ants, into three broad categories seem to replace them.
honey bees, wasps, termites) according to the tasks they
are inactive at any one time [1]. performed: active, inactive and This observation supports
Daniel Charbonneau and Anna undifferentiated. The active the hypothesis of reserve labor,
Dornhaus, entomologists of the class refers to ants performing one of the most common
University of Arizona, investigated tasks such as building, foraging, explanations for social insect
a group of ?azy??members of eating and grooming, while ?aziness?? It is suggested that
the ant species Temnothorax inactive ants are those that are inactive ants can serve as
rugatulus. When tracking completely immobile and not standbys to replace active
the behavior of 250 ants, the engaged in any of the active workers when necessar y,
researchers found that 40% of tasks mentioned before. Ants are allowing a colony to respond
them were inactive consistently undifferentiated when they are quickly and flexibly to changes
[1]. mobile inside the nest and not in labor. The reserve labor force
engaged in any active task. could be crucial to a colony?
In another study with biologist survival in case of emergency,
Takao Sasaki of the University of The scientists then removed such as being attacked.
Oxford, the scientists collected some of the workers to observe
20 colonies of Temnothorax how the colonies were affected. Apart from being reserve
Each colony received either of labor, other potential functions
these treatments: removal of the of ?azy workers??have been
20% most active workers, that of proposed, such as acting as
the 20% most inactive, and that food storages or energy reserves
of 20% randomly picked workers. for production. It is also possible
that the seemingly inactive
Overall, the activity of the insects are indeed performing
affected colonies was re- crucial tasks that have not been
established, with no significant observed and identified yet.
difference between pre-
removal and post-removal
Lazy Ants
Are Far From
Useless
By Twinkle Poon 瞏
