Empire of the Desert Ants

Natural World visits the Arizona desert, where a new honey ant queen wages an intense battle for survival as she attempts to build and defend her empire. Eliminating rivals with ruthless efficiency, sacrificing thousands in her quest for domination, murder, cannibalism, genocide - she will do anything to keep her crown. Empire of the Ants is the epic story of one honey ant queen's dramatic rise to power - her brutal fall from grace.

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Understanding Ants

Ants - Nature’s Secret Power

In this documentary we will be transported into the world of ants through the eyes of Bert Hoelldobler, a world authority on these amazing animals. What animal has achieved immortality? What animal is the most warlike? What animal has the greatest supercity on the planet? Not man but ants. They are the real success story. It is only their tiny size and our vanity that allows us to hold onto the myth of our supremacy. Ants rule the planet. They are found in more habitats from far northern Finland to the sweltering tropics. The largest colony known of these insects is in Japan, where 306 million ants, with 1 million queens, in 45,000 colonies spread over 270 hectares. The fiercest warriors on earth are the slave maker ants. Other ants have barracks and sentry posts to protect themselves against surprise attack.

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Lord of the Ants
Understanding Ants

Lord of the Ants

Lord of the Ants is a PBS documentary narrated by Harrison Ford, which profiles biologist Edward O. Wilson, who is an acclaimed advocate for ants, biological diversity, and the controversial extension of Darwinian ideas to human society. His study of ants led to the advent of sociobiology, a discipline that seeks to explain the social behavior of all species through genetics and natural selection.

Related Links:
Understanding Ants
Ants - Nature's Secret Power