My dear friends, welcome back to my story. I hope you have enjoyed reading about my life. It has certainly been full of colourful events, some of them have been good, some of them have been terrible beyond imaginings, but here I am. Survival is not a given. Survival is about making the right choices and living with those choices if we made them in error. Life is full of ups and downs and it is up to each and everyone of us to make the very best of it.
After the last terrible happenings within the colony, where I was challenged by another queen who wanted to take over the colony as her own, I made a promise to Mantriba my long time faithful assistant as she lay dieing, to atone for her death by creating the biggest colony the world had ever seen. So this is the story of how I did it.
I made the decision to start laying again, and lay I did. With every ounce of the strength I had in me I laid and laid and laid. Over the months I laid thousands of eggs. It was a gamble sure enough. It's always a fine balance between the number of workers you have, the food available, and the speed in which you lay the eggs. I must have got the balance right because just before the winter arrived I had managed to grow the colony to its original size. It was hard work, and my worker daughters were all on the edge of their physical limits, as was I. It was a good job that it was now the winter hibernation period.
On waking from our slumber in the spring, the push for growth began again in Ernest. I began to lay eggs again, and also asked the searcher workers to find us foods with high sugar. I felt the need to energize my colony, and sugars are what gives us this energy. Thankfully the workers that had been out scouting for these sugars had found somewhere with a massive amount of sugars. It was probably some form of discarded human food, they are always full of sugar and very much cherished by us.
Once we had all fed from this store, we were all on a high. The nest was truly awake and fully active and we were then able to continue to build up our stores of protein foods. The growth of nest continued throughout that year until the winter came when we all hibernated again waiting for the spring.
The new spring came around and the colony was the largest it had ever been. It was time to lay a new batch of eggs, the ones that would become new Queens, and new Kings.
The time came once again for the Queens and Kings to fly the nest once more, but this was special. To our knowledge it was the largest number to ever have flown the nest. We had so many that it took 3 separate nuptial flights for them all to leave. After the flights had taken place, I finally succumbed to the huge amount of energy that had been required of me. All of us were tired, even exhausted, and rested for nearly a week.
Some time later I was in my chamber resting and finally I was able to inwardly smile to myself. At last my life long ambition had been realised, and my faithful daughter Mantriba's death had not been in vain. The colony was massive with a number of nuptial flights under our belt. We had survived floods, wars and even another queen trying to take my place. I was elated. I had led my colony to this position as I had been born to do.
Even though I knew that this was something that all colonies faced. The dangers of life itself are all around us, but the struggle for survival is not insurmountable. The struggle for survival can be overcome with sheer hard work, perseverance and dedication, dedication is what Mantriba had shown me, and even though she was gone, I knew that my losses had not been in vain. The colony was strong and continued to grow, and continued to create new colonies through its birth and survival of its Queens and Kings...my daughters and my sons.
That was the story of my life, I thank you all my friends for reading this my biography. I Hope you enjoyed it. Farewell.
The END
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Myrm's Antobiography - Chapter 7
Last year was a terrible year for my colony. Firstly we went to war with the red ants, our arch enemies. It was a difficult and long battle that we eventually lost, but it was at a great cost to our numbers. Then, after we had protected our nest from being taken over by them we suffered our second catastophy - The great flood. It wiped out large numbers of the colony, we were left with only 50 of us, and 35 larvae.
As soon as we had settled into our new more protective home under the slabs, I began to lay numerous amounts of eggs. These I hoped would boost our numbers back to somewhere near where they had been before.
I gave the order to the remaining workers to begin collecting food stores. I wanted to ensure we had enough food over the winter so that in the spring we would have great numbers again, and finish our further growth. It may even be possible to created young queens and males again to send out into the world.
Winter was thankfully mild, and even though towards the end of it we were low on food, we were able to forage out into gardens around us and stay well fed.
Our numbers had thankfully become strong again. I decided itwould not hurt us to raise new queens and males. I began to lay eggs, a different kind of egg to the normal ones. These we took even more special care of. In time, they hatched into beautiful new queens. Shiny Black bodies topped with incandescent wings...wings that would take them onto a journey of discovery, and hopefully lead them to rear a new colony.
The queens nuptial flight days arrived. I could sense it was the right time, so once again gave the order for them to leave the nest. Away they went, and I was sad because I knew I would never see them again.
Some time that evening it was brought to attention that one of the queens that had left our nest had now returned. Wingless as she was I knew she had mated. I decided to let her live here with us for a short time, I even lent her some of my workers to tend to her.
A month later, I suddenly remembered that I had let one of my daughters live on the outskirts of the nest, I wondered what she was doing, and how she had been getting on with her new life. I sent my favourite daughter 'Mantriba' to find out. It was a week later that It came to dawn on me that she had not returned. I could not understand it, but this was a nest, this was my chamber and there was no reason to suspect that she hadn't died of natural causes somewhere in the darkness. If our children died, it was not told to me, there was no need, it was all part of the natural life way of things.
There was a terrible and sudden commotion outside in the tunnel that led into my chamber. Worker was fighting worker, sister against sister. I didn't understand what was happening unti she rushed at me! It was the young queen that I had let stay here in the tunnels on the outskirts of the nest. She knocked me over.
"I have come to claim my rightful place as the NEW queen of this colony" she stated.
This was a first for me obviously, and I was shocked. I knew though that I was older and wiser than this new queen, I knew that I could beat her.
We locked mandibles, wrestling each other this way and that way, side to side, up and down. Soon after what seemed like an age, my strength began to wane that was when my loyal Mantriba rushed through the crowd and dove at the alien in our mist. Mantriba locked her mandibles around the neck of the intruder and remained their. The new queen struggled, but she was now struggling against the two of us, and her struggle was in vain. As I pulled at her head, Mantriba bit further and further into the neck of the queen until finally, the neck snapped, and the queen was dead. I released the head from my jaws and it fell to the floor with a thud. Mantriba lay on the floor not moving. It was then that I noticed she had lost her thorax, and one of her legs. This was a wound that she would not recover from.
"Mantriba, my daughter" I spoke softly to her by rubbing my antenae on hers. "What happened?"
"Oh mother, I tried to kill her for you when I found her turning our own workers against you. She hurt me mother, she hurt me" Mantriba said with an even softer, weaker touch.
"Sleep now my brave Mantriba, your name shall never be forgotten within these chambers"
Mantriba touched antenae one last time a simple goodbye.
I was saddend so much by this, I knew though that to honour my daughter I would carry on with the colony and make it the biggest and greatest colony ever seen. I tire now, and need to rest. I will tell more of my story soon.
As soon as we had settled into our new more protective home under the slabs, I began to lay numerous amounts of eggs. These I hoped would boost our numbers back to somewhere near where they had been before.
I gave the order to the remaining workers to begin collecting food stores. I wanted to ensure we had enough food over the winter so that in the spring we would have great numbers again, and finish our further growth. It may even be possible to created young queens and males again to send out into the world.
Winter was thankfully mild, and even though towards the end of it we were low on food, we were able to forage out into gardens around us and stay well fed.
Our numbers had thankfully become strong again. I decided itwould not hurt us to raise new queens and males. I began to lay eggs, a different kind of egg to the normal ones. These we took even more special care of. In time, they hatched into beautiful new queens. Shiny Black bodies topped with incandescent wings...wings that would take them onto a journey of discovery, and hopefully lead them to rear a new colony.
The queens nuptial flight days arrived. I could sense it was the right time, so once again gave the order for them to leave the nest. Away they went, and I was sad because I knew I would never see them again.
Some time that evening it was brought to attention that one of the queens that had left our nest had now returned. Wingless as she was I knew she had mated. I decided to let her live here with us for a short time, I even lent her some of my workers to tend to her.
A month later, I suddenly remembered that I had let one of my daughters live on the outskirts of the nest, I wondered what she was doing, and how she had been getting on with her new life. I sent my favourite daughter 'Mantriba' to find out. It was a week later that It came to dawn on me that she had not returned. I could not understand it, but this was a nest, this was my chamber and there was no reason to suspect that she hadn't died of natural causes somewhere in the darkness. If our children died, it was not told to me, there was no need, it was all part of the natural life way of things.
There was a terrible and sudden commotion outside in the tunnel that led into my chamber. Worker was fighting worker, sister against sister. I didn't understand what was happening unti she rushed at me! It was the young queen that I had let stay here in the tunnels on the outskirts of the nest. She knocked me over.
"I have come to claim my rightful place as the NEW queen of this colony" she stated.
This was a first for me obviously, and I was shocked. I knew though that I was older and wiser than this new queen, I knew that I could beat her.
We locked mandibles, wrestling each other this way and that way, side to side, up and down. Soon after what seemed like an age, my strength began to wane that was when my loyal Mantriba rushed through the crowd and dove at the alien in our mist. Mantriba locked her mandibles around the neck of the intruder and remained their. The new queen struggled, but she was now struggling against the two of us, and her struggle was in vain. As I pulled at her head, Mantriba bit further and further into the neck of the queen until finally, the neck snapped, and the queen was dead. I released the head from my jaws and it fell to the floor with a thud. Mantriba lay on the floor not moving. It was then that I noticed she had lost her thorax, and one of her legs. This was a wound that she would not recover from.
"Mantriba, my daughter" I spoke softly to her by rubbing my antenae on hers. "What happened?"
"Oh mother, I tried to kill her for you when I found her turning our own workers against you. She hurt me mother, she hurt me" Mantriba said with an even softer, weaker touch.
"Sleep now my brave Mantriba, your name shall never be forgotten within these chambers"
Mantriba touched antenae one last time a simple goodbye.
I was saddend so much by this, I knew though that to honour my daughter I would carry on with the colony and make it the biggest and greatest colony ever seen. I tire now, and need to rest. I will tell more of my story soon.
Myrm's Antobiography - Chapter 6
Oh my friends, disaster has befallen us! It is a while since I last wrote to you. The troubles that we have faced have been great. First there were the wars. Battles we had with our enemys the reds. We took the upper hand early on and attacked the enemy. Many lifes were lost, and we thought that we had killed the enemy when we had destroyed their queen. Little did we know that the reds are different to us. I learned that they had not one, but two queens in their colony. How this is to be? I don't know, but it is true. Not only are they dangerous to us because of their defence and strength, but now they have more than one queen. Even if we kill one queen of the enemy, we must continue further into their nests and face further danger to see if there are any more queens.
Disaster did visit us, and it wasn't in the form of another ant type. It was nature that caused our troubles. It was nature at its most dangerous that caused the death of most of our colony. Only a few dozen of us survived the deadly rains of the spring time floods.
It began in late April. We had not that long finished nursing our wounded after the battles with the reds. Our numbers were already low, and we needed a good period of time to replenish our stocks of food so that we could concentrate on raising new brood. Workers began to get nervous, they could sense the danger about to arise. I got the first reports of rain from Mantriba. She told me that the rains had begun, but that they were different than usual. These were heavy rains. Droplets of water falling from the sky that were so heavy they could kill our workers outright. I gave the order for the workers to be withdrawn into the depths of the nest. Here I thought we would be safe.
Hours and hours passed and then the water began to seep through the walls where it began to collect beneath us. We had to move onto the ceilings of our tunnels to keep ourselves and our eggs dry. This was getting dangerous, the tunnels were in danger of flooding. Being a Queen I had to worry about the long term survival of the nest. Do I save us remaining here in this chamber, and leave the rest to their fate, or do I hold out here and hope that it is all okay. I made the decision. I ordered my personal helpers to begin tunnelling upwards towards the surface. They worked fast, and even I began to help move the earth to make the new tunnel. We dug and dug, and as we dug, we filled in the hole behind us to dam the water that followed until eventually we broke surface where we found that rain had stopped for a moment.
We all moved quickly overground in search of new cover. It was bright for me, even in the gloom of this cloudy day, after all, it was the first time I had seen daylight in 4 years. We quickly found a large stone slab which I knew was a place where we would be safe, so I ordered the workers to burrow beneath it. Again we worked hard to create a small burrow for us all to retreat to, and after a small time digging again we were thankfully all inside. We closed the hole behind us, and there in the dark and damp of the burrow, it slowly dawned on us that many of our sisters, my daughters, were now trapped in the nest, the nest that had been flooding when we left it. The rains continued to fall hard just as our mood continued to lessen.
After what seemed like an eternity the rains stopped and the sun returned to the sky. The workers finally were able to venture into the undergrowth once more, back to the old nest they went, where the news was not good. It was almost completely destroyed by the flood. Many tunnels had completely collapsed, and those that hadn't were full of water. My workers that came with me dug into the remains of the old nest and found only 20 worker sisters, and 10 eggs and larvae - They were led to their new home with me under the slab of stone.
Our total number was now a mere 50 with only 35 larvae. My once great colony had suffered a major disaster. A disaster that would thankfully, never be repeated. I decided to remain under the stone slab that we hid beneath now. I didn't want to go back to the old nest. Too many bad things had happened there. This stone slab offered us a different kind of protection, no matter how hard the rain fell, it could not penetrate through to our tunnels and chambers, yet, it was also surprisingly warm when the sun shown on it. Our new home was what I wish I had found originally when I first set up nest four years previously.
During the year that followed, times got better, and the colony became strong again. That was until, as a queen, I faced my final test of strength. But that is a story for another day...
Disaster did visit us, and it wasn't in the form of another ant type. It was nature that caused our troubles. It was nature at its most dangerous that caused the death of most of our colony. Only a few dozen of us survived the deadly rains of the spring time floods.
It began in late April. We had not that long finished nursing our wounded after the battles with the reds. Our numbers were already low, and we needed a good period of time to replenish our stocks of food so that we could concentrate on raising new brood. Workers began to get nervous, they could sense the danger about to arise. I got the first reports of rain from Mantriba. She told me that the rains had begun, but that they were different than usual. These were heavy rains. Droplets of water falling from the sky that were so heavy they could kill our workers outright. I gave the order for the workers to be withdrawn into the depths of the nest. Here I thought we would be safe.
Hours and hours passed and then the water began to seep through the walls where it began to collect beneath us. We had to move onto the ceilings of our tunnels to keep ourselves and our eggs dry. This was getting dangerous, the tunnels were in danger of flooding. Being a Queen I had to worry about the long term survival of the nest. Do I save us remaining here in this chamber, and leave the rest to their fate, or do I hold out here and hope that it is all okay. I made the decision. I ordered my personal helpers to begin tunnelling upwards towards the surface. They worked fast, and even I began to help move the earth to make the new tunnel. We dug and dug, and as we dug, we filled in the hole behind us to dam the water that followed until eventually we broke surface where we found that rain had stopped for a moment.
We all moved quickly overground in search of new cover. It was bright for me, even in the gloom of this cloudy day, after all, it was the first time I had seen daylight in 4 years. We quickly found a large stone slab which I knew was a place where we would be safe, so I ordered the workers to burrow beneath it. Again we worked hard to create a small burrow for us all to retreat to, and after a small time digging again we were thankfully all inside. We closed the hole behind us, and there in the dark and damp of the burrow, it slowly dawned on us that many of our sisters, my daughters, were now trapped in the nest, the nest that had been flooding when we left it. The rains continued to fall hard just as our mood continued to lessen.
After what seemed like an eternity the rains stopped and the sun returned to the sky. The workers finally were able to venture into the undergrowth once more, back to the old nest they went, where the news was not good. It was almost completely destroyed by the flood. Many tunnels had completely collapsed, and those that hadn't were full of water. My workers that came with me dug into the remains of the old nest and found only 20 worker sisters, and 10 eggs and larvae - They were led to their new home with me under the slab of stone.
Our total number was now a mere 50 with only 35 larvae. My once great colony had suffered a major disaster. A disaster that would thankfully, never be repeated. I decided to remain under the stone slab that we hid beneath now. I didn't want to go back to the old nest. Too many bad things had happened there. This stone slab offered us a different kind of protection, no matter how hard the rain fell, it could not penetrate through to our tunnels and chambers, yet, it was also surprisingly warm when the sun shown on it. Our new home was what I wish I had found originally when I first set up nest four years previously.
During the year that followed, times got better, and the colony became strong again. That was until, as a queen, I faced my final test of strength. But that is a story for another day...
Myrm's Antobiography - Chapter 5
Chapter Five - War
Dear friends, the war is over, what other dangers await us?
War, I know, I know - War! We have finally beaten our enemies and now we look to replenish our numbers.
It all began during the spring of our 3rd year. We had just awoken from our yearly deep sleep. The deep sleep is the time of year when we batten down our hatches and rest during the winter months. It is cold outside, and the amount of food that is available to us is limited, so once a year in November I give out the order to move into the deeper chambers of the nest, and fill in all but a few of the nest openings so that we can hibernate.
Its a quiet time of the year, everyone is very lethargic and sleepy. We survive by eating from the stores of food that we have built up over the autumn. Of course, it is nearly always wet outside the nest, and the water seeps through the walls, so we never go thirsty. We keep each other warm by huddling close. There are very few eggs at this time of year, so there is no real danger to the young.
This spring when we could feel the warmth of the days seeping to our depths I gave the order to begin the yearly growth. This is a hugely important time for us. The eggs are laid, nurtured and raised in large numbers, the nest is expanded, and the feeding of the colony goes into overdrive.
After a few weeks of normal life, we began to notice more and more of our arch enemy Red Ants checking out our position. Skirmishes on the front line of defence at our site entrances became more and more frequent. I had a feeling for what was to come, this made me determined not to be caught short. I gave the order to the nest to begin fortifying the entrances, and to begin collecting huge amounts of food. I then began to lay my special eggs. These I knew would be soldier type worker ants, and I needed them in large numbers.
After a period of about a month and a half my army of soldiers were ready. I knew that in times such as these, it was better to take the battle to the enemy than to wait to be attacked. I sent out a number of scout parties from the nest in search of the enemies position. Soon they reported back to me the whereabouts of the enemy.
"Madam Queen" my Chief scout addressed me.
"Go ahead Mantriba" I replied. I didn't know the names of all of my daughters, only those closest to me.
"We've located the enemy at 200 tunnels distance from our position in the direction of the sunset."
"Thank you Mantriba. All of my scouts returned safely I hope?"
"I am afraid not my Queen, your scouts fought with all of their strength to protect me so that I could bring you the news of the enemies location. I am the only survivor" Mantriba was visibly upset as she relayed this sad news to me.
"I understand Mantriba, you are free to go and rest. Then, begin the recruitment of new scouts".
"Yes Madam Queen" Mantriba replied. She left the chamber.
I gave the order that my soldiers had been waiting for. Attack our enemies, and destroy them totally.
Now please understand, we are not in the habit of creating war, but we know without doubt, and with full conviction that we must survive at any cost. This is what prompted the attack on our enemy. Revenge for our lost sisters is merely a bonus.
The war went well. Of the hundreds of soldiers we sent, a good number returned. Carrying their trophies of war, the eggs, larvae and pupae of our enemy. Distributed throughout the nest these were a very welcome treat that we all enjoyed feasting on.
As for our enemy, nothing remained of their nest. Thankfully it was only a small colony, a new one perhaps only 50 or so individuals. I do not know what would have happened if it had been a fully mature colony.
This was the first of the many wars that we faced during my lifetime. Unfortunately this was not the only trouble that we faced in that year, but more about that next time, I am tired, and need my energy for the laying of my eggs, goodbye for now!
Dear friends, the war is over, what other dangers await us?
War, I know, I know - War! We have finally beaten our enemies and now we look to replenish our numbers.
It all began during the spring of our 3rd year. We had just awoken from our yearly deep sleep. The deep sleep is the time of year when we batten down our hatches and rest during the winter months. It is cold outside, and the amount of food that is available to us is limited, so once a year in November I give out the order to move into the deeper chambers of the nest, and fill in all but a few of the nest openings so that we can hibernate.
Its a quiet time of the year, everyone is very lethargic and sleepy. We survive by eating from the stores of food that we have built up over the autumn. Of course, it is nearly always wet outside the nest, and the water seeps through the walls, so we never go thirsty. We keep each other warm by huddling close. There are very few eggs at this time of year, so there is no real danger to the young.
This spring when we could feel the warmth of the days seeping to our depths I gave the order to begin the yearly growth. This is a hugely important time for us. The eggs are laid, nurtured and raised in large numbers, the nest is expanded, and the feeding of the colony goes into overdrive.
After a few weeks of normal life, we began to notice more and more of our arch enemy Red Ants checking out our position. Skirmishes on the front line of defence at our site entrances became more and more frequent. I had a feeling for what was to come, this made me determined not to be caught short. I gave the order to the nest to begin fortifying the entrances, and to begin collecting huge amounts of food. I then began to lay my special eggs. These I knew would be soldier type worker ants, and I needed them in large numbers.
After a period of about a month and a half my army of soldiers were ready. I knew that in times such as these, it was better to take the battle to the enemy than to wait to be attacked. I sent out a number of scout parties from the nest in search of the enemies position. Soon they reported back to me the whereabouts of the enemy.
"Madam Queen" my Chief scout addressed me.
"Go ahead Mantriba" I replied. I didn't know the names of all of my daughters, only those closest to me.
"We've located the enemy at 200 tunnels distance from our position in the direction of the sunset."
"Thank you Mantriba. All of my scouts returned safely I hope?"
"I am afraid not my Queen, your scouts fought with all of their strength to protect me so that I could bring you the news of the enemies location. I am the only survivor" Mantriba was visibly upset as she relayed this sad news to me.
"I understand Mantriba, you are free to go and rest. Then, begin the recruitment of new scouts".
"Yes Madam Queen" Mantriba replied. She left the chamber.
I gave the order that my soldiers had been waiting for. Attack our enemies, and destroy them totally.
Now please understand, we are not in the habit of creating war, but we know without doubt, and with full conviction that we must survive at any cost. This is what prompted the attack on our enemy. Revenge for our lost sisters is merely a bonus.
The war went well. Of the hundreds of soldiers we sent, a good number returned. Carrying their trophies of war, the eggs, larvae and pupae of our enemy. Distributed throughout the nest these were a very welcome treat that we all enjoyed feasting on.
As for our enemy, nothing remained of their nest. Thankfully it was only a small colony, a new one perhaps only 50 or so individuals. I do not know what would have happened if it had been a fully mature colony.
This was the first of the many wars that we faced during my lifetime. Unfortunately this was not the only trouble that we faced in that year, but more about that next time, I am tired, and need my energy for the laying of my eggs, goodbye for now!
Myrm's Antobiography - Chapter 4
Chapter Four - The Opening
My Child was born and she was just the first of many many such births. I welcomed her into the world tenderly, she was frail, weak, and slow. I knew that she would grow, it would take time, but she would become strong and fast. I told her to check on my other children. I gave her some nutrient from my internal store, and settled back into the chamber for some much needed rest. I watched my child, she moved over the eggs, larvae and pupae slowly, tending them. She felt them with her antenae. If one needed feeding, she would feed it. If they were too warm, she would move them, or turn them. She knew what was required of her, and it was instinct for her.
Time moved on, My first born was soon joined by another callow ant. The first born was now fully black, strong, and fast. She was as big as she would ever get. The callow ant was pale in colour, and small but that didn't mean she didn't know what to do, she had just as much instinct as her sister did. My family...and oh what a family. Soon 1 had become 5 and then I knew it was time.
I called my first born to me, and told her that it was time to reach for the surface. It was time to re-open the old tunnel. My first born, I called her Miriam moved to the her sisters and told them what was required. They all set to work. Particle by particle they removed the sand from the old tunnel and lined the walls of the chamber with it. As the chamber got smaller, the tunnel got longer until just when you thought there was no more room left, the surface was broken.
I asked Miriam what it felt like, and this is what she told me.
"My queen it was a fantastic moment. We pulled away the final particle, and the air rushed in to the tunnel. The air was fresh and smelled good. But the light came to our eyes and we had to move into the shade of the tunnel until our eyes got used to the light."
Miriam reported to me that they had broken the surface. I knew this of course as the rush of fresh air reached me also. I told her that they must find food and water quickly as my reserves were dry. I would not last much longer unless the food was found. I told her that 2 of my children must venture out for this reason. 2 should remain at the tunnel entrance as guard, and 1 must tend to the other children.
Soon there was a great excitement around the entrance to the chamber. Miriam came in followed by her sisters. Two of them stepped forward, and presented me with food and water. We had a fantastic feast that night, and fully replenished I instructed the children to begin the work that they were to carry on until my final days...The construction and maintenance of the nest. I am tired now, I need to rest, so I will tell you some more of my story soon.
My Child was born and she was just the first of many many such births. I welcomed her into the world tenderly, she was frail, weak, and slow. I knew that she would grow, it would take time, but she would become strong and fast. I told her to check on my other children. I gave her some nutrient from my internal store, and settled back into the chamber for some much needed rest. I watched my child, she moved over the eggs, larvae and pupae slowly, tending them. She felt them with her antenae. If one needed feeding, she would feed it. If they were too warm, she would move them, or turn them. She knew what was required of her, and it was instinct for her.
Time moved on, My first born was soon joined by another callow ant. The first born was now fully black, strong, and fast. She was as big as she would ever get. The callow ant was pale in colour, and small but that didn't mean she didn't know what to do, she had just as much instinct as her sister did. My family...and oh what a family. Soon 1 had become 5 and then I knew it was time.
I called my first born to me, and told her that it was time to reach for the surface. It was time to re-open the old tunnel. My first born, I called her Miriam moved to the her sisters and told them what was required. They all set to work. Particle by particle they removed the sand from the old tunnel and lined the walls of the chamber with it. As the chamber got smaller, the tunnel got longer until just when you thought there was no more room left, the surface was broken.
I asked Miriam what it felt like, and this is what she told me.
"My queen it was a fantastic moment. We pulled away the final particle, and the air rushed in to the tunnel. The air was fresh and smelled good. But the light came to our eyes and we had to move into the shade of the tunnel until our eyes got used to the light."
Miriam reported to me that they had broken the surface. I knew this of course as the rush of fresh air reached me also. I told her that they must find food and water quickly as my reserves were dry. I would not last much longer unless the food was found. I told her that 2 of my children must venture out for this reason. 2 should remain at the tunnel entrance as guard, and 1 must tend to the other children.
Soon there was a great excitement around the entrance to the chamber. Miriam came in followed by her sisters. Two of them stepped forward, and presented me with food and water. We had a fantastic feast that night, and fully replenished I instructed the children to begin the work that they were to carry on until my final days...The construction and maintenance of the nest. I am tired now, I need to rest, so I will tell you some more of my story soon.
Myrm's Antobiography - Chapter 3
Chapter Three - The First Brood
By now, you know me. I am Myrm, a Queen Black ant, and I have been telling the story of my life. This chapter, I shall tell you about my first brood. After completely sealing myself in my new chamber, I began to feel safe at last. My journey here was after all a dangerous one, and a number of my sisters and brothers perished, I don't know how many, but I saw a few die. I am one of the lucky ones.
Anyway, I was nicely settled into my new home. So I decided to rest for a period of time, probably a day or so. This was a necessary thing to do, it helped me to regain my strength. You may remember that I once had wings, well the muslces that I used to flap those wings were now completely useless. I had no food with me, and no water, my instincts kicked in, and I re-ingested my old wing musles and turned them into energy and proteins which I stored within my body. Another reason why I waited was to allow the chamber walls to settle, and it gave me a chance to make minor repairs to the walls. I wouldn't want it to collapse on my new brood now would I?. Eventually it came the time to lay my first eggs. I laid them one after another until I had a brood of 14. I could have carried on laying, but it would be very difficult to raise a brood any larger than 14 on my own. After I had finished laying, I turned around and felt the eggs with my antenae, I could feel that they were all healthy.
Over the next few weeks my baby eggs slowly turned into larvae. These are a strange J shape and ever-so hungary. My time was taken up with tending to my brood. Cleaning them, turning them, moving them, and feeding them. I would turn or move them to keep them as close to our favourite temperature as possible. This helps them to grow, and keeps them nice and healthy.
Weeks more passed and I watched my brood grow and turn into pupae. These ants are nearly ready to become born into the world just like I was. They are a white colour at first, shaped like us, with tiny specks for eyes and tiny leggs and antennae...a miniture version of me, slowly they changed colour and finally I knew that it was time for my first born to become proper workers.
Slowly one of my babys woke from her incubation. Her legs moved, her antennae moved, her head moved. Then she moved towards me, and for the first time we communicated, it was a moment of pure joy that I will never forget for the rest of my life. What I said to her is a story for another day!
By now, you know me. I am Myrm, a Queen Black ant, and I have been telling the story of my life. This chapter, I shall tell you about my first brood. After completely sealing myself in my new chamber, I began to feel safe at last. My journey here was after all a dangerous one, and a number of my sisters and brothers perished, I don't know how many, but I saw a few die. I am one of the lucky ones.
Anyway, I was nicely settled into my new home. So I decided to rest for a period of time, probably a day or so. This was a necessary thing to do, it helped me to regain my strength. You may remember that I once had wings, well the muslces that I used to flap those wings were now completely useless. I had no food with me, and no water, my instincts kicked in, and I re-ingested my old wing musles and turned them into energy and proteins which I stored within my body. Another reason why I waited was to allow the chamber walls to settle, and it gave me a chance to make minor repairs to the walls. I wouldn't want it to collapse on my new brood now would I?. Eventually it came the time to lay my first eggs. I laid them one after another until I had a brood of 14. I could have carried on laying, but it would be very difficult to raise a brood any larger than 14 on my own. After I had finished laying, I turned around and felt the eggs with my antenae, I could feel that they were all healthy.
Over the next few weeks my baby eggs slowly turned into larvae. These are a strange J shape and ever-so hungary. My time was taken up with tending to my brood. Cleaning them, turning them, moving them, and feeding them. I would turn or move them to keep them as close to our favourite temperature as possible. This helps them to grow, and keeps them nice and healthy.
Weeks more passed and I watched my brood grow and turn into pupae. These ants are nearly ready to become born into the world just like I was. They are a white colour at first, shaped like us, with tiny specks for eyes and tiny leggs and antennae...a miniture version of me, slowly they changed colour and finally I knew that it was time for my first born to become proper workers.
Slowly one of my babys woke from her incubation. Her legs moved, her antennae moved, her head moved. Then she moved towards me, and for the first time we communicated, it was a moment of pure joy that I will never forget for the rest of my life. What I said to her is a story for another day!
Myrm's Antobiography - Chapter 2
Chapter 2 - Flight of the Ants
Hello again, I'm Myrm, queen of my colony, and just one of millions of other queens out there that flew the nest recently.
I remember the day me and my brothers and sisters flew. It was full of excitement, and we just had a feeling that that day would be the one. There had been other days that were similar, and we had witnessed other nests letting their queens and kings fly, but we weren't able to. Our mother and queen of the colony wouldn't allow us to.
Many of us had been gathering up at the entrances to the nest. These had been widened especially in preparation for the flights, lets face it, we are bigger than the workers, and we don't normally come up here. There were hundreds of workers busying themselves around us, final grooming and feeding, ensuring that we were all as ready as we could be. In fact, the rest of the nest was manned by a skeleton crew of workers.
Now, you may think that with all the other males around, there would be a little bit of flirtation going on. But no! Not one of our queens including myself was ever interested in the males of our nest, that interest was reserved for others, and others only.
At last, the order came, and in our droves we left the nest and began looking around for somewhere tall to lift up from. It was a fine site indeed. The ground was a mass of queens, males and workers running hither and dither. Around me I saw other queens and males taking off into the air. Spreading their wings and onto the breeze they left in great swarms. It was then that the realisation of the outside world first dawned on me. Out of no where a huge flying creature swooped and caught one of the other queens in its strangely shaped jaw. Before I could blink (not that I do) the creature had turned and swooped on another of my sisters. This is a dangerous place I thought. I knew what must be done. I lifted my wings and...flap! My muscles worked and I was finally on the breeze lifting higher and higher into the sky.
After a small time I saw activity in the sky, it was another nests siblings flying into the sky. I was not quite sure what was supposed to happen when suddenly instinct kicked in. I flew towards the other swarm, and within moments a hansom male from this nest grasped onto me. He coupled with me there and then. I descended towards the ground, something shining down there caught my eyes and I had ot fly towards it.
On landing the hansom male decoupled, and walked off without a word. I was a little bewildered, was this what it had been like for my mother? Just as I was about to make my way towards the soil I could see in the distance, another male clasped onto me. Again we coupled. This happened another couple of times before I finally made it towards the soil I could see.
Something inside me was telling me to find somewhere suitable as quickly as possible to start digging my new home. It was instinct again of course. Built into me and my kind over millions of years. I soon found somewhere suitable, and it was at this point that I unhooked my wings from their muscles. I didn't want to get rid off them, they were beautiful and they had given me freedom, but now, if I wanted to dig, and dig quickly I had to rid myself of them. I had soon dug out a small hole which then gave me enough room to turn around in the hole, and also enabled me to fill in the hole behind me until I was enclosed fully within. What I did next, is a story for another day!
Hello again, I'm Myrm, queen of my colony, and just one of millions of other queens out there that flew the nest recently.
I remember the day me and my brothers and sisters flew. It was full of excitement, and we just had a feeling that that day would be the one. There had been other days that were similar, and we had witnessed other nests letting their queens and kings fly, but we weren't able to. Our mother and queen of the colony wouldn't allow us to.
Many of us had been gathering up at the entrances to the nest. These had been widened especially in preparation for the flights, lets face it, we are bigger than the workers, and we don't normally come up here. There were hundreds of workers busying themselves around us, final grooming and feeding, ensuring that we were all as ready as we could be. In fact, the rest of the nest was manned by a skeleton crew of workers.
Now, you may think that with all the other males around, there would be a little bit of flirtation going on. But no! Not one of our queens including myself was ever interested in the males of our nest, that interest was reserved for others, and others only.
At last, the order came, and in our droves we left the nest and began looking around for somewhere tall to lift up from. It was a fine site indeed. The ground was a mass of queens, males and workers running hither and dither. Around me I saw other queens and males taking off into the air. Spreading their wings and onto the breeze they left in great swarms. It was then that the realisation of the outside world first dawned on me. Out of no where a huge flying creature swooped and caught one of the other queens in its strangely shaped jaw. Before I could blink (not that I do) the creature had turned and swooped on another of my sisters. This is a dangerous place I thought. I knew what must be done. I lifted my wings and...flap! My muscles worked and I was finally on the breeze lifting higher and higher into the sky.
After a small time I saw activity in the sky, it was another nests siblings flying into the sky. I was not quite sure what was supposed to happen when suddenly instinct kicked in. I flew towards the other swarm, and within moments a hansom male from this nest grasped onto me. He coupled with me there and then. I descended towards the ground, something shining down there caught my eyes and I had ot fly towards it.
On landing the hansom male decoupled, and walked off without a word. I was a little bewildered, was this what it had been like for my mother? Just as I was about to make my way towards the soil I could see in the distance, another male clasped onto me. Again we coupled. This happened another couple of times before I finally made it towards the soil I could see.
Something inside me was telling me to find somewhere suitable as quickly as possible to start digging my new home. It was instinct again of course. Built into me and my kind over millions of years. I soon found somewhere suitable, and it was at this point that I unhooked my wings from their muscles. I didn't want to get rid off them, they were beautiful and they had given me freedom, but now, if I wanted to dig, and dig quickly I had to rid myself of them. I had soon dug out a small hole which then gave me enough room to turn around in the hole, and also enabled me to fill in the hole behind me until I was enclosed fully within. What I did next, is a story for another day!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Myrm's Antobiography - Chapter 1
I am Myrm, and this is my Antobiography. I am an Ant, a black ant to be exact, and I have lived for 10 years now. Let me share with you the history of my life - My parents, where I was born, where I eventually settled down and raised my family.
Its a story that will be joyous at times, and painful at others, never dull, and always busy. This is the story of my life.
Chapter One - My beginnings
I am an Ant. A queen ant to be exact. Now I don't profess to know what a queen is exactly, but I do know that I am the founder of my particular family.
It all began roughly 10 years ago, and to an ant, that is a lifetime let me tell you. My parents are unfortunately no longer with us. My father passed away before I was born. My mother also had a large family like my own, but she passed away about 5 years ago. Sad times to think that my parents are no longer here, but I suppose I never really knew either of them. And after all, that is the way of things for my species, humans just don't know how lucky they are!
I was born in a nest about 2 miles away from here, an awful long way for an ant, but at that time, I had wings, and flew on the breeze to where I live now. I don't really remember much of my earlier life, it is the same with me as it is with you to a certain extent. I started out as an egg, then developed through various stages until I was born into the world. Of course, as an egg, then a larvae, then a pupae, I could still hear the world around me, I could still sense when things were good and when things were bad, much like yourselves.
My mother and father met about 14 years ago in the skies over Somerset, probably a mile away from where she eventually set up her home. They had a brief fling, nothing serious, but you must understand that that is the way of the ants. The fathers never stick around. In fact, as soon as the pair had coupled for the first and last time, he was never to be seen again. His task was successful and his memory lives on in all of my brothers and sisters. I don't really know anything about him, not where he was from, or how old he was, but from things I have seen in my life, I know that he was young when he passed on. I cannot be upset about it, it is the way of things as I have said before, and will probably say again.
My mother also came from a large family. She was 6 when she had me, middle aged for an ant, and I understand from the teachings I recieved that she had had other sets of my brothers and sisters, one a year before she had me. She was a very wise and successful lady, her own family was 10000 strong before she passed on. Her underground home was very large indeed.
Eventually, I became a young queen, ready to fly the nest. I had my beautiful wings, all that was left was to wait for a beautiful summers day in June or July and then I would be able to leave the nest. It was my instinct to leave. There was no pain involved, there was no longing to stay with my family, in fact the nest was a place of great excitement leading up to the departure of myself and my brothers and sisters. Some days of course were more exciting than others the slightest threat to our home was met with extreme force for instance. All of the smaller ants, I will call them workers, that's all they seemed to do after all, would go into a frenzy of activity and defend the nest at any cost. On many occasions I saw the bodys of lots of my family. Some I had known since I was an infant. They would be brought into the nest and put into the graveyard.
On the quiet days, there was nothing to do, so I would wander around the nest looking for food, or someone to groom me. Sometimes I would wander up close to the nest entrances and soak up the lovely warmth of the sun. I don't know why we couldn't fly on those days, I would have loved to, but mother said it wasn't the time, and who were we to argue. The nest remained in a high state of excitement for days and days until eventually, the order came to finally fly the nest...and oh, what a day it was! But that's a story for another day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)