A Voice In His Garden Ministries: ~ A Bit of Biology to Make you Less Antsy ~

~ A Bit of Biology to Make you Less Antsy ~

Dear reader, do you hate ants? Maybe you kill any and every one of them that you see.

Did you know that ants are champions in the world of native wildflowers?

Those much-despised ants are truly great seed disperses! This method of seed dispersal, known as 'Myrmecochory' is well-known by biologists studying Eastern North American forests. This area is considered to be a global hotspot where this very important activity is alive and growing (pardon the pun).

We have much to learn from the ant. These eusocial (showing an advanced level of social organization) insects effectively and very efficiently move a great number of our spring 'ephemeral' (short-lived) woodland wildflower seeds thanks to the 'elaiosomes' (a fleshy structure rich in lipids attached to the seeds of many plant species) on their seeds.

Composed of a nutritious fatty substance, that attracts ants the seed with the elaiosome intact is carried the seed back to the ant's nest and there just the fleshy structure is eagerly eaten by their young. The seeds are not harmed by the young ants during their feeding and get discarded in the process. With such a conducive environment (warmth, soil & fertilizer) inside the nest and close proximity, the wildflower seeds are able to take root and grow no further than a few meters from the parent plants, unlike seeds that are dispersed by the wind or birds!

Here is a short list of some ant-seeded, ephemeral woodland wildflowers that you may be familiar with:

Bloodroot, Trillium, Hepatica. Sweet Violet, Mayapple, Wild Ginger, & trout Lily

Can we gain wisdom from the work and habits which our God created in these insects? I believe so! Following are two scriptures pointing us to their work and living habits which you likely know well:

"Go to the ant, O lazy one, watch its ways and become wise.

Because it has no leader, overseer, or ruler, yet it prepares its bread in summer; it gathers its food in the harvest. How long, O lazy one, will you lie there? When will you rise up from your sleep? Just a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the arms to lie here, and your poverty will come like a robber, and your needs like an armed man."

Proverbs 6:6-11

"..the ants are a clan who are not mighty, but they prepare their food in the summer;"

Proverbs 30:25

Hopefully, from now on, with this information forefront in our thoughts and knowing that Spring is hiding just around the corner, we will try harder to seek out and use a method that will deter rather than kill those diligent and hard-working little ants we see outside.

I pray that we may also seek to find and be informed by the wisdom and riches from God set out in the ways and work of these tiny creatures beneath our feet!

Take good care, my friends, keep growing in all ways, and sing out His praises!