Ant Farms
by Dr. Carolyn Pararas-Carayannis

Ant farms make great educational hobbies, especially for children. Although very tiny and unable to survive on their own, ants work together large family groups called colonies. Because ants are eusocial*, have specialized divisions of labor within the colony and demonstrate effective communication and self-organization, individuals devote their lives and work in unison for the good of the colony. Thus the colony, behaving as a superorganism*, thrives as though it was a single organism of a higher order. Adults and children alike are often curious about what ants do underground, since most ant nests are subterranean and many of their activities take place obscured from view. But with the aid of specially constructed colony containments, called ant farm aquariums, one can study Formicidae behaviors and view their day-to-day subterranean activities with ease. Suitable ant farm aquariums allows read more

The Ants' Four-part Philosophy
By Brian Sylvan; edited 2008 Carolyn by Pararas-Carayannis

Jim Rohn has a very powerful philosophy which he calls the "ant" philosophy. He says that ants have a four-part philosophy. First, ants don't quit - ever. They don't worry about details. They just "do". If their job is to gather food that's all they do. They are masters of their tasks. They never quit. Ants follow what is called an "ant trail." They don't get lost as long as they follow the line. Sometimes, obstacles obscure their trail. But they don't panic or give up. Instead, they search until they locate the scent of the path again. Powerful stuff. The moral? Don't ever quit. If you lose your way, search. Strive to pick up the scent of your path again. During Summer read more