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Insects are a diverse and fascinating group of creatures that
play an important role in maintaining the balance of nature. They serve as a
vital source of food for birds, while also aiding in pollination. However, they
can also cause significant damage to crops and vegetation, with locusts being a
prime example. Insects have been inhabiting the earth for 300 million years, but
they have not evolved much in comparison to other animal species. The basic
anatomy of an insect consists of a head, thorax, abdomen, and six legs, but even
within the main categories, there is an almost endless variety.
Insects are the scavengers of the world, and they consume carrion after animal
and bird carnivores have done their part. Although they can spread diseases
through pollen, they also prevent far more by cleaning up dead matter. All
orders of insects exhibit some form of co-operation among themselves, but the
highest forms of insect "civilization" are seen in the bee and ant communities.
Bees evolved from digger wasps, and their society is centered around the
importance of the female and young, reproduction, and provisioning. The queen
bee is the focal point of the hive, and all activities revolve around her. She
is "queen" because she has established her young and shares the nest with future
queens until they leave with the males to start their own hives. Male bees store
nectar on a massive scale, and there is no worker caste of non-reproductive
females. The social bees include the apish, bumble, and two tropical species,
Trigona and Melipona. Bumble bees follow a clear, annual cycle, beginning as one
family with the queen occupying the nest. Mass provisioning is carried out over
the brood and workers, and young queens become fertile over winter, starting new
nests for the following year.
The ant-world also centers around the female, with males being of little
importance. Ant-hills in tropical climates can rise to considerable heights and
last for many years. The queen-ants (two or three) are the focal points, and
they can live for as long as 16 years. There are many varieties of ants, from
the humble worker to the formidable soldier, and each type has an allotted task
carried out with unwavering determination. Queens and males have wings and mate
in swarms, reproducing workers, non-reproductive females who take over the
complete care of the nest and gathering of food. Once established, the queen
becomes a reproductive machine, with food being fed into her, and new workers
emerging.
Co-operation is the keynote of the insect world, and it is essential for their
survival and reproduction. However, this is a basic and primitive instinct, far
removed from the co-operation seen in humans that allows us to materialize a
wide variety of aspirations. Nonetheless, the fascinating world of insects
provides a glimpse into the intricacies of co-operation, hierarchy, and
survival. |
