As a mintage , we humans are pretty estimable at tarry around and being slothful when we want to be . Turns out we ’re not alone , as worker ant also love a number of downtime .
A new bailiwick , release in the journalPLOS ONE , has found that about 40 pct of worker ants are fundamentally doing nothing at any one time . They essentially advert around waiting for work until they ’re called upon . standardised trait have been go out in other social insects , like honey bee .
“ They really just sit down there , ” Daniel Charbonneau from the University of Arizona , the report ’s lead generator , articulate in astatement . " And whenever they ’re doing anything other than doing nothing , they do chores around the nest , like a morsel of brood care here or grooming another worker there . "
The ants in this study go to the speciesTemnothorax rugatulus . The inactive ants act as a reserve undertaking force , waiting for a job . This builds uponprevious workby Charbonneau and co in 2015 , which get hold that a big clod of proletarian ant just sit around on their insect arse .
In this latest subject area , the investigator painted midget dots on different emmet to track what they were up to . They found that a settlement recrudesce down into four main demographics . You ’ve got the inactive otiose ants , walkers who wander around the nest , foragers that find food and make up the nest , and “ nurse ” that rise the young ant .
Just like a human couch Solanum tuberosum might store up a reserve of bite in their belly , lazy ants were also bump to have dilate abdomen . It ’s not clear if this is a answer of their lifestyle , but it suggests they may swear out as “ living pantries ” .
Inactive ants were in reality ascertain to replace fighting ants when the latter were removed from the colony . However , when passive ants were removed , the reverse did not occur . It suggest ant have a limited hold on supply and demand , but like to have a sleeping work force quick to go when needed .
“ Since young workers start out as the most vulnerable members of the dependency , it makes sense for them to lay low and be inactive , " say Charbonneau . " When the dependency loses worker , it makes sense to supersede them with those pismire that are not already busy pursuing other tasks . "
So the next clip you ’re feeling guilty about idle about , just call up there ’s an ant somewhere doing exactly the same matter . Further research will be take to witness out what boob tube shows they like to scarf out watch and their beer preference .
