From the Arctic to South Africa - one finds them everywhere: Ants. Making up nearly 15% of the entire terrestrial animal biomass, ants are impressive not only in quantitative terms, they also fascinate by their highly organized and complex social system. Their caste system, the division of labor, the origin of altruistic behavior and the complex forms of chemical communication makes them the most interesting group of social organisms and the main subject for sociobiologists. Not least is their ecological importance: Ants are the premier soil turners, channelers of energy and dominatrices of the insect fauna. TOC:The importance of ants.- Classification and origins.- The colony life cycle.- Altruism and the origin of the worker caste.- Colony odor and kin recognition.- Queen numbers and domination.- Communication.- Caste and division of labor.- Social homeostasis and flexibility.- Foraging and territorial strategies.- The organization of species communities.- Symbioses among ant species.- Symbioses with other animals.- Interaction with plants.- The specialized predators.- The army ants.- The fungus growers.- The harvesters.- The weaver ants.- Collecting and culturing ants.- Glossary.- Bibliography.- Index.

Introduces the behavior, life cycle, and physical characteristics of ants and describes how ant colonies work.

Take a first look at the amazing world of ants in this beautifully illustrated non-fiction picture book, a perfect first gift for babies and toddlers. The friendly, read-aloud text and exciting illustrations by Kate Slater will have young nature-lovers smiling in no time as they learn fun words about ants that all begin with the letter "a". Have fun with your little ones by pointing to the colorful illustrations that tell the story of these awesome workers. Learn how ants work together, what they eat, and where they live. Filled with simple, fun facts, A is for Ant provides lots to talk about and is cleverly designed to encourage early learners to repeat the fun a-words.

Your step-by-step guide to keeping and raising ants. Discover how to maintain a thriving ant colony containing thousands of worker ants starting from just one queen ant. Keeping ants can be one of the most rewarding experiences. Observe their incredible industriousness up close. See how they build structures, search for food, defend their societies and manage waste. All this achieved without an overall center of control - mesmerizing. This handbook has been carefully designed for ant keepers. It provides a thorough insight into the fascinating world of ants. With this in-depth understanding of ants, you will be able to appreciate the complexity of their world and provide them with a stimulating environment. This is an easy to understand yet detailed step by step guide, full of practical tips. It will get you started in ant keeping and will serve as a valuable point of reference. Including; Ants under the Microscope Exploration of Ant Behavior Ways to Source Ants Setting up your First Formicarium Caring for a Fledgling Colony Establishing and Maintaining a Thriving Colony Achieving Optimum Conditions Different Species and what to chooseAnd plenty more.

A wasp lays its eggs under a caterpillar's skin so that its young can eat the caterpillar's guts as they grow. A young head louse makes its home on a human hair and feasts on human blood. Frogs use their eyeballs to help swallow their food. From small worms that live in a dog's nose mucus to exploding ants to regurgitating mother gulls, this book tells of the unusual ways animals find food, shelter, and safety in the natural world. If animals all ate the same things and lived in the same places, it would be impossible for all of them to survive. So they specialize. Some animals eat the bits that others leave behind, such as skin and mucus. They find all kinds of unusual places to shelter, including the cracks and holes in another creature's skin or its internal organs. They use their own bodies to protect themselves from predators by imitating unsavory items such as bird droppings and even by blowing up. These habits that may seem disgusting to us are wonderful adaptations that make it possible for a great variety of creatures to live and thrive on Earth. Read about them and marvel at the amazing ways animals adapt to the natural world.

"Welcome to the ant's huge underground city. Here you'll discover how the insects rest, take care of their queen, and raise their young. You'll also find out how some ants grow their own food and carry out other surprising tasks as they go about their busy lives"--P. [4] of cover.

From gerbils, lizards, and snails to spiders, fish, and frogs, this is the coolest guide for kids to learn how to take care of the coolest pets! With 39 pet profiles that describe origins, behaviors, cage installation plans, food, maintenance, and more, this book contains all the general and fun information for a variety of easy-to-care-for animals that kids will love. Also included are the author’s observations based on his very own pet collection throughout, as well as anatomical diagrams, high-quality photography, helpful illustrations, and easy-to-read informational blurbs.