Ant Hygiene

THE MAJORITY OF ANTS ARE VERY SCRUPULOUS ABOUT HYGIENE.

SOME OF THEM SPEND HALF THE TIME GROOMING THEMSELVES OR THERE COMPANIONS.

LAST YEAR, A STUDIOUS AMERICAN DISCOVERED SOMETHING THAT HE HAD NEVER OBSERVED BEFORE AMONG ANTS, SOMETHING THAT SEEMED LIKE A CLEANING BEHAVIOR AMONG THE DIFFERENT SPECIES.

STUDYING THE SOUTHERN HARVESTER ANTS IN PORTAL, ARIZONA, THE SCIENTIST SAW HOW THE WORKERS APPROACHED A NEST OF SMALL ANTS OF THE DORYMYRMEX FAMILY. WHEN IT REACHED THE ANTHILL THE HARVESTER ANT STOOD UP ON ITS HIND LEGS, WITH ITS JAWS OPEN AND REMAINED COMPLETELY STILL. SHORTLY AFTER, ONE OR MORE DORYMYRMEX ANTS CLIMB UP ONTO IT AND BEGIN TO GROOM IT.

THIS STRANGE BEHAVIOR IS SIMILAR TO A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CERTAIN TYPES OF FISH THAT LIVE IN REEFS AND “CLEANING FISH”, WHICH ARE USUALLY MUCH SMALLER.

THE LARGER FISH MAINTAINS A RIGID POSTURE, WHICH IS A CALL TO THE CLEANERS WHO COME TO CLEAN THE PARASITES FROM THE BODY AND EVEN THE INSIDE OF THE MOUTH OF THE FISH. THE CLEANING FISH RECEIVES ITS RATION OF PARASITES AND SUPPOSEDLY THE HEALTH OF THE REEF FISH IS BOOSTED BY THE CLEANINGS.

WE HAVE TO HELP TO CLEAN THE SOULS OF OTHERS TOO. HOW? BY ENCOURAGING THEM TO GET RID OF ALL THEIR SPIRITUAL DIRT THROUGH CONFESSION. WE CAN ALSO PRAY FOR THEM SO THAT THEY DON’T LOSE THEIR PURITY.

THIS WAY YOU WILL EARN SOMETHING BETTER
THAN “A RATION OF PARASITES”:HEAVEN.
HELPING OTHERS TO SAVE THEMSELVES IS HOW WE CAN SAVE OURSELVES.

©HM Zoom+ 57 - October/November 2008