Humans and ants have had a long history of interactions. We have eaten them, been plagued by them and used them in various ways to achieve certain goals. For instance, the Chinese use of Black Weaver Ants in citrus groves may be the oldest known form of biological control (OISAT Website). The Chinese have also been eating ants for centuries, as well as aborigines in Australia, among many other cultures in the world. Even John Muir noted the Native Americans ate carpenter ants as part of their diet.
In East Africa the Maasai moran tribes man have long been utilizing Army Ants for medicinal uses. Often the men are gashed open in the bush and with no available medical technologies, they have put to use the extremely large jaws of the army ant to suture their wounds. After cleaning the cut they get the ants to bite both sides of the wound with their jaws and then pinch off the rest of the body. This leaves a suture that will heal the wound supposedly as if they we stitched up by a doctor (Sanbasan).
On a more entertaining note, humans have created false ant nests called Ant Farms, and have used them to fascinate children for ages. Pressed between to glass plates, ants are introduced and an ant nest is created right before their eyes. Nursery rhymes have long used ants to emphasize cooperation and industriousness to children and the ant farm is a visual of this theme. The boys in the Satere-Mawé tribe just wish that was the extent of their parents use of ants!
On a more entertaining note, humans have created false ant nests called Ant Farms, and have used them to fascinate children for ages. Pressed between to glass plates, ants are introduced and an ant nest is created right before their eyes. Nursery rhymes have long used ants to emphasize cooperation and industriousness to children and the ant farm is a visual of this theme. The boys in the Satere-Mawé tribe just wish that was the extent of their parents use of ants!
The Satere-Mawé tribe, located in the Amazon forest, use the Bullet Ant, P. clavata, as a right of passage. Named the Bullet Ant because of the intense pain caused by their bite. Evidently it is vary comparable to being shot and the throbbing pain lasts over 24 hours. According to the Schmidt Sting Pain Index, a bite from this ant is ranked number one, as the most painful sting in the world. In the ritual, boys put on a glove full of Bullet Ants for ten minutes and are bitten several times. If the boy can perform this ritual twenty times and not cry, they are considered men and are allowed to become warriors (The Secret Amazon).
Although humans have used ants in more constructive ways. In South Africa the plant seeds from the Rooibos plant,
Aspalathus linearis, are used to make herbal tea drank by the natives. Unfortunately the seeds are extremely small and are dispersed into a large area, making it difficult to harvest. So the people have been using ants to do this tedious work for them. Black ants collect and store these seeds in their nests. Then the humans dig up the nests and collect the nicely stored seeds en masse for their own use. A half a pound of seeds can be collected from one ant nest, making it a very time and energy saving tactic (Wikipedia).
It is apparent, and obvious if you have ever had your picnic ruined by an ant colony, that ants have been interacting with us for an eternity. What is more interesting to me though is how we have used the ant for our own needs. Whether it is to change our boys into men or for a source of protein in our diets, we have been manipulating them as well. They have even been performing medical acts for us! We need to accept that they out weigh us in mass, literally and instead of combating them at every turn, how can we continue use them?
Although humans have used ants in more constructive ways. In South Africa the plant seeds from the Rooibos plant,
Aspalathus linearis, are used to make herbal tea drank by the natives. Unfortunately the seeds are extremely small and are dispersed into a large area, making it difficult to harvest. So the people have been using ants to do this tedious work for them. Black ants collect and store these seeds in their nests. Then the humans dig up the nests and collect the nicely stored seeds en masse for their own use. A half a pound of seeds can be collected from one ant nest, making it a very time and energy saving tactic (Wikipedia).
It is apparent, and obvious if you have ever had your picnic ruined by an ant colony, that ants have been interacting with us for an eternity. What is more interesting to me though is how we have used the ant for our own needs. Whether it is to change our boys into men or for a source of protein in our diets, we have been manipulating them as well. They have even been performing medical acts for us! We need to accept that they out weigh us in mass, literally and instead of combating them at every turn, how can we continue use them?