There are thousands of species of ants in various parts of the world. We may find them a nuisance at a picnic or in a kitchen, yet they are an important part of God’s creation. It is probably true that there are more ants than all the world’s birds, reptiles and animals added together. Do they do any good? Yes. When they dig their nests in the ground, they turn over the soil and break it up. This helps farmers. Some also kill insect pests such as termites, and certain ones kill the larvae of beetles that are harmful to crops.
Among the 15,000 species is a large red ant in South America called the Amazon, or sometimes also called the body snatcher. This slave-making ant raids other ant colonies, dragging captives to its nests where they are taught to work for their captors. The long, sharp jaws of the Amazon ants are so curved that they cannot feed themselves or dig nests. The slave ants do this work for them. The Amazon ants cannot live without slaves.
Another interesting species is the trap-jaw ants in the forests of Costa Rica. They are vicious, dark-red creatures with such strong jaws that they do not hesitate to attack creatures of any size. These do not live in colonies. They hunt alone. If one comes across a tasty insect, it moves right in and with sharp jaws punctures its skin, jabbing a poisonous stinger in the spot, stunning it so it can be carried to the trap-jaw’s nest.
In Africa driver ants are feared by all. They are vicious creatures that deliberately crawl into an elephant’s trunk and bite the tender flesh. Groups of them have also been known to make a feast of a python lying helpless after swallowing a small animal and unable to crawl away. Driver ants have underground nests ruled by a queen which lays many eggs each day. The most active of the driver ants are known as soldiers. They feed themselves well when hunting, but always send a large part back to the nest.
In the first chapter of the Bible we read how God created all living things, including ants and other insects. We are told, “God saw that it was good.” He didn’t make them vicious and cruel, but harmless and peaceful. But after Adam and Eve sinned, the nature of all living things was affected, some in ways like the ants we have just studied.
There is a time coming when all things in the world will again be in harmony and peace. Then those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will be looking down from heaven and see the world in a happy state with no evil to spoil it.
APRIL 24, 1994
ML-04/24/1994