Animal Survival Technique - Smarter Every Day (T-5)

Destin introduces the topic after heavy rainfall in Alabama that has flooded a previously dry grassy field.

The area behind him is now covered with water after several weeks of rain.

He wants to demonstrate an interesting survival technique used by a local species in response to the flooding.

He drives a truck through the floodwater to reach a suitable location for demonstrating the technique.

In a shallow area of floodwater, Destin spots a clump of floating material that appears unusual.

The dark spot in the water is actually a colony of ants that have formed a living raft to survive.

• Ants have clumped together into a raft shape • Some ants position themselves on the bottom to help others on top float • They grab onto grass to anchor and keep more of the colony above water

This is described as a very interesting and desperate survival technique used by the ant colony to stay alive during flooding.

The ants are carrying their larvae as part of the floating raft structure.

Upon closer investigation, the larvae are kept just under the top layer of the ant raft, visible as white material.

• The ants scramble to position larvae on top first • They then encase the larvae with their own bodies for protection

The ants on the bottom of the raft are largely immobile and serve as living support, sacrificing themselves so larvae and upper ants can survive.