Now,the milkmaid ants are different.They collect sap for other ants and themselves!They get the sap from the sap-lice.The sap lice drink sap and the extra sap collects in a tube on their backs.The ants drink this sap because that's what they eat, and they can't get it by themselves.And,by the way,they are not stealing.The sap-lice don't need the extra sap.
Ants are always on the move.They pick up a piece of dirt from the floor and carry it to the top to be dropped down the hill. (The anthill.) They repeat this method over and over again. It does not go by quickly. They did not pause from curiosity or fright or any excuse on their way up or down.
There are also carpenter ants. They collect building material for the ant colony after all the dirt is removed. Take an oat, for example. The carpenter ant tries to lift it up and fails. It goes back and comes back with two other carpenter ants. They carry the oat to the anthill, but when they get there they don't know how to get it inside. They tried pushing it up. That method does not work. Then finally they tilt it and it teeter-totters into the hole. Now the oat would be useful for a "shelf". |