WARNING: Ants Have Cows Too!

Ants have been observed throughout time herding aphids and sucking the sweet honeydew from their bottoms to bring back to the colony. They keep them immobilized and manipulate them like cattle. These farmers ants ensure that their food producing aphids are constantly supplied with fertile feeding grounds and migrate them to greener pastures when necessary.

Worth noting is that these ants also guard their cows from predators and contain them in a small perimeter where they can easily be supervised.

We're not the only farmers!


Herding Aphids: How 'Farmer' Ants Keep Control of Their Food

wow, that's incredible, s&f for bringing this to my attention.

thank (place god of your choice here) they're so small, otherwise they'd rule the world!

edited grammar

[edit on 3/5/2010 by Alaskan Man]

reply to post by Reptilian Ph.D


Very interesting and new information for me, thanx for bringing it to light . Nature is so astounding and have so many secrets even in a tiny lil' part as ants!! S&F

I remember when I was a kid, my friend and I decided to make a ant city. We made them trails and hiding places, and I remember we made them a cafeteria, lodging, and a swing set that they actually got on!

Ever since seeing them actually utilize these things, I was convinced ants were really amazing creatures.

Ants are very interesting creatures.

Though I want to point out one thing. Humans do not eat the waste comming out of a cows rectum.
Ants do.
I don't care how sweet it is. I dont' think I'd want to try that.

The ant sucking the hind end of the aphid reminds me of my relationship to Congress.

Other than that, old news.

[edit on 3/5/2010 by Jim Scott]

Would you be re-incarnated as one ant or a colony of ants? that's something I've always wondered about.
They farm fungi too www.nytimes.com...

Great thread - s & f

Ants farm aphids
humans farm cattle
governments farm the mass population - (the people on ATS are the cattle who dare to look over the fence)b

[edit on 5-3-2010 by suziwong]

Google Video Link

Here's a great video of the study of ants. The video features Ant's herding insects and other great wonders of ants.

[edit on 5-3-2010 by Romantic_Rebel]

[edit on 5-3-2010 by Romantic_Rebel]

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


I don't know why my post is acting weird. Here's a user on youtube who has uploaded videos of ants doing wonderful things in the wild. www.youtube.com.../u

reply to post by SolarE-Souljah

I remember when I was a kid, my friend and I decided to make a ant city. We made them trails and hiding places, and I remember we made them a cafeteria, lodging, and a swing set that they actually got on!

Ever since seeing them actually utilize these things, I was convinced ants were really amazing creatures.

...haha...so, you're telling me that ants have lunch at cafe's and stay at lodges? And you actually built them a mini-swing set so light they could actually use their momentum to build up a swing? And they in fact did this for amusement?

[edit on 5/3/10 by CHA0S]

As far as society and behavior goes, I think the closest animals to us are undoubtedly ants. They build, they farm and they are prone to wars and violence. (ever seen an ant war? It's pretty cool)





Also very sophisticated mating behaviors.



I think these insects are highly intelligent. Maybe not by themselves, but when you put them all together and form a group mind I bet you will find an extreme level of intelligence.

They have very sophisticated means of communication, and the colony works like a well oiled machine. If you ever watch army ants traveling you will notice they make their own highway. Really sophisticated behavior.





Here is a video that shows you that "highway". There is another one that explains why ants form the barriers.... Hold on let me see if I can find it. I'll edit this post if I can.







[edit on 5-3-2010 by DaMod]

[edit on 5-3-2010 by DaMod]

reply to post by suziwong

And then the aliens farm us :O

Originally posted by CHA0S

...haha...so, you're telling me that ants have lunch at cafe's and stay at lodges? And you actually built them a mini-swing set so light they could actually use their momentum to build up a swing? And they in fact did this for amusement?

You know it! Imagine how I must have felt! It was an amazing moment in my life, I'm tellin ya.

Ants are amazing creatures but what's more amazing, is that with all of the ants in the world. They weigh more than the human population on earth. There's that many!

Mind you a lot of them can carry up to 50 times their own body weight on their back. So me being 160lbs I would be able to carry 8000lbs no problem.

Originally posted by grey580
Ants are very interesting creatures.

Though I want to point out one thing. Humans do not eat the waste comming out of a cows rectum.
Ants do.
I don't care how sweet it is. I dont' think I'd want to try that.

I almost beg to differ.
I once worked with a guy from Arkansas who told me about a certain tea the locals made that was made from cow dung.


Pretty gross if you ask me but after thinking about it for awhile I can understand why it MIGHT be safe.
Think about it, cow poop is not the same as human poop since cow's don't eat meat.

Originally posted by SolarE-Souljah
I remember when I was a kid, my friend and I decided to make a ant city. We made them trails and hiding places, and I remember we made them a cafeteria, lodging, and a swing set that they actually got on!

Ever since seeing them actually utilize these things, I was convinced ants were really amazing creatures.

That brings back memories. I used to pick ants up on a toy plane and fly them to other ant hills...lol poor ants

That brings back memories. I used to pick ants up on a toy plane and fly them to other ant hills...lol poor ants

God damn if there is one thing that annoys me it's those immigrant ants!

Coming over here taking our jobs.

Very interesting and i guess this is sort of like "as above so below".

everything on this planet is connected. The video below explains this properly...

Mod Note: Terms & Conditions Of Use – Please Review This Link. Spamming

[edit on 3/8/2010 by semperfortis]

When I was young I used to kill ants because sometimes others would come out and take the body back down. AmbulANTS I called them.. very exciting stuff when your 6!