Social_System_Paper.docx Social System Paper BIO/335 Social System Paper Ants and t

Social_System_Paper.docx    Social System Paper  BIO/335  Social System Paper  Ants and their social dynamic: Intro  In the world of ants there are many forms a colony can take, even some species of ants act in small groups that, other colonies can take the form of tens of thousands of ants that take many forms and tasks upon their caste. Colonies of ants can be made up of the queen, workers, protection specific and even temporary queens when one is not present. The many species of ants also allow for many types of interactions between these roles, many strategies for protection and attack and even the ability to sustain and use farms. With the variety of roles comes specialized tasks that only certain members of colonies can complete which includes testing for toxins and scouting for food or territory. Even the physical attributes of ants can vary with their roles with some being able to fly, and others simply exist to breed with the queen and die. On top of the ants themselves having a myriad of interactions with themselves they have many interesting interactions outside the colony. Ants show examples of mutualism, such as their ability to use aphids as a food source while giving protection to them full time. Additionally, ants on the losing end of commensalism are also a notable example of their outside interactions, especially when other insects have the ability to mimic their pheromones in order to receive protection with nearly no price to pay for it. Finally, the greatest enemy of ants is, of