Modern Humans Have More in Common with Ants and Bees Than with Other Species
Published by Have you watched an ant colony as the ants scurry to feed, or defend, the colony? Have you ever studied bees in the hive, as they work to take care of the queen? Have you ever studied primates in the wild? While we are closely related to primates, an observation shows that we have more in common with the ants and bees than we do with our nearest living relatives, the other primates.
Ants
By Smartse (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
When we look at ants we see them rushing off on some purpose, often forming lines as they go. If we watch them for long we wonder how each one knows where it is going. Ants actually do make roads for each other – these are called scent trails. The ants each have their own jobs, or roles, some serve to collect food, others are workers, building and repairing the ant hill, other ants defend the colony, others cater to the needs of the queen, and so forth.
Ants even have their own form of agriculture, with some ant species raising, tending, and “milking” aphids.
Bees
By Ken Thomas (KenThomas.us(personal website of photographer)) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Bees also work for a purpose, their queen. Some bees serve to collect food, others to process the food, and within the bee hive there are many more roles. Busy bees, we call them, as we see these tiny insects fly from flower to flower collecting pollen to bring back to the hive. Within the hive these bees work, work, work, to serve a purpose, that is for the betterment of the hive, and their queen.
Bees show a “teamwork” effort communicating with each other in ways we are only learning, as they tell each other “go here, go there, the food is this far”.
Modern Humans
When we look at modern humans, we see them rush in the morning to get off to work, they enter rush hour traffic, everyone going someplace, much like the ants in the colony, how does each one know where they are going?
We, as humans, think we are free compared to the ants and bees, but if you were to watch a city from a distance it would look no different than an ant colony or bee hive. You would see people rushing off here and there, and if you were to get a bit closer you would see we are not working for ourselves, but for another force. People work for their boss, but ultimately for their government. Even the bosses work for somebody (perhaps the tax man) as they rush around just like our friend the ant, or the bee.
From afar a modern human society is far more similar to an ant colony, or bee hive, than to our nearest relatives, the primates. From our rush hour traffic that looks like an ant trail, to our office cubicals that look like bee hives….
Ask yourselves, is this the way our life is suppose to be? Is the purpose of life that we all are meant to be worker ants and drones feeding the queen, collecting the all mighty dollar like it was pollen? We call it a “Rat Race” but what has become of the human race, and why is anything a race at all?
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Liked it
On December 26, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Now that I think about it, we do act a lot like ants and bees. Very cool.
On December 26, 2010 at 5:23 pm
I’ve never thought of that but your right. Wow I had never expected that.
On December 26, 2010 at 8:39 pm
I think they are more social and cooperative than humans.
On December 26, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Nice Share.
On December 27, 2010 at 1:58 am
WOnderful observation. It never cross my mind. Thanks for sharing.
On December 27, 2010 at 7:46 am
very interesting post here, Mark.
Ants and bees very hardworking and loyal, they take care of one another.
On December 27, 2010 at 10:40 am
I forgot what SF story it was, but the arriving aliens thought similarly, only they thought cars were in charge.
On December 27, 2010 at 10:42 am
humans are always busy like bees..nice comparison
On December 28, 2010 at 12:56 am
your tile got me curious. Like ants, human are social creatures.
On December 28, 2010 at 10:16 am
Ants and bees don’t take time off to write poetry, explore the planets, indulge in higher mathematics, or even to study the behaviors of ants and bees.
On December 31, 2010 at 11:45 am
Ants and Bees are more cooperative and less selfish.
On January 5, 2011 at 7:00 am
what an interesting article. I think you are right, we are as busy as bees and as active as ants when it comes to daily life. I had the pleasure of bees that nested in my cavity wall insulation a few years back. Their entrance was on the outside of the house, so they never came inside but I used to wait for their flight times, early morning and evening. They were fascinating.
On January 6, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Thanks for sharing.
On January 6, 2011 at 4:00 pm
This has crossed my mind too. Nice one. In Britain we also like Meerkats, which have their own social systems.
On January 6, 2011 at 4:42 pm
this was so well written and so interesting Mark
On January 8, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Come to think of it, I believe you are right.