Top 5 Huge Insect ColoniesBy William Harris, HowStuffWorks.com
 We humans take great pride in our ability to build massive cities and complex societies. But our efforts pale in comparison to insects, the grand masters of eusociality (or living cooperatively). Worker ants have been discovered in 90-million-year-old amber — convincing evidence that insect societies existed long before hominids stood erect and began their journeys across Africa. Currently, 15 to 20 percent of the terrestrial animal biomass goes to satisfy the needs of the world's ants, which gather into colonies teeming with animals that cooperate fully and remain together for months or years (unlike swarming insects, such as locusts, which form temporary, uncoordinated communities). Some ant colonies contain thousands, even millions, of individuals. And they are only one type of social insect. Bees, wasps and termites also may develop massive colonies. When so many animals gather and work together, they become true forces of nature. To understand what we mean, check out five of the biggest — and sometimes deadliest — insect colonies known to science. How can you tell if a bug is edible? Chow down on the answer at HowStuffWorks.com. |
advertisement
More Monster Bug Wars
|
-
our sites
-
video
-
shop
-
stay connected
-
corporate
