Chris Higgins
Fire Ants Build Lifeboat Out of Ants to Save the Queen
by Chris Higgins - September 8, 2009 - 5:36 PM

Here’s your daily dose of science video: in this BBC production, “A flood hits a fire ant colony in the Amazon jungle. …The species has adapted to water to protect their queen.” Only three minutes long, but an amazing look at a colony of ants handling an emergency and ultimately surviving.

(Via Kottke.org.)

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Comments (9)

  1. Honestly, I’ve never seen teamwork with that type of intensity before! I’ve regained a new respect for ants, more than I already have.

    posted by Steven on 9-8-2009 at 5:41 pm

  2. i just watched the vid while listening to xm pops playing waltz of the sugarplum fairy. it was sorta like watching wizard of oz while listening to pink floyd but completely different, i rest my case.

    posted by Papoon for president on 9-8-2009 at 9:59 pm

  3. Absolutely amazing.
    As an employee of the state I live in, I would love to show this to those “in charge” and point out that no team meetings, bureaucratic standoffs, or changes to policy/procedures manuals were required to get a job done. Everyone just started working to get the goal accomplished.

    posted by Lori on 9-8-2009 at 10:00 pm

  4. I’m with you completely Lori. My state is exactly the same. Bureaucracy gets in the way of my work all the time!

    posted by Steven on 9-8-2009 at 10:47 pm

  5. On the flip side, I once was at the zoo and saw what appeared to be a meeting of the penguins occurring. One stood at the top and made that sort of honking noise they make, and the others started to gather around. A few straggled in late, and one just seemed to be there to irritate the leader. He came in late, he wandered around while the “boss” was honking, and then started honking back. The rest just stood there and looked around, like they weren’t sure what to do next. Reminded me of many staff meetings. I did get it on video but that phone was inadvertently flushed (oh, yeah, that’s a whole ‘nother story!).

    posted by Hyacinth on 9-9-2009 at 9:08 am

  6. Lol.. How randome is this???? i just listened to ACe of bass “all that she wants” while watching this.

    totally fits!!

    All that she wants…is another baby! whoaoooooo

    LMAO

    (it happened to be on the radio for all you people that i know are going to heckle me for this.)

    posted by xanderjones on 9-9-2009 at 7:21 pm

  7. This is nothing new to us in Southeast Texas. We’ve seen this many times, when our yard has flooded! You’d really better hope that you don’t ever “bump into” a group of them. (pun intended)

    posted by Andi on 9-12-2009 at 4:26 am

  8. I saw this years ago while living in Texas. Never understood why a big all of fire ants was floating in the water. Now I know!

    posted by justin on 9-13-2009 at 4:32 am

  9. was that John Simm?

    posted by Maggie on 9-13-2009 at 9:14 am

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