Ant Mathematics

Can ants count? It seems so! When scout ants find an item of food, they take it back to the nest. If the food item is especially good but too big to carry, the scout will return to the nest to get help. Scientists have discovered that ants apparently size up the task ahead before getting help so they can return with enough help, but not too much.

One scientist cut a dead grasshopper into three pieces. The second piece was twice the size of the first, and the third was twice the size of the second. He then left the pieces in different locations where ants were sure to find them. He watched as each piece was discovered by a scout, inspected, and each scout returned to the nest for help. When the scout returned with help, the scientist counted the number of ants working at each piece of the grasshopper.

The smallest piece had 28 ants working on it. The piece that was twice its size had 44 ants working on it. And how many ants do you think were working on the piece that was twice the size of the second piece? If you doubled that 44 to 88, you would be within one of being right. There were 89 ants working to return it to the nest!

We can’t help but conclude that mathematical ability is part of the ants’ amazing ability to plan and carry out a task! They were doing nothing more than what their Creator taught them as they followed the planning principle Jesus reminds us of in Luke 14:28 – count the cost of the project before you begin it!

Luke 14:28-30
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.”

Prayer:
Father; I confess that too often I have planned my life, leaving You out of my planning. But who knows more about planning than You? Grant me wisdom and guidance so that my life may be pleasing to You in every way. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Notes: Photo: Fire Ants (PD