Humans Find Compassion at Residential Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers, Same for Insects?

Filed in archive Information About on August 29, 2010

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Humans have evolved a rare characteristic in the natural world: compassion. While some people may be more inclined than others, almost everyone has the internal drive to care for someone in time of need or illness, even strangers. People venture to medical facilities to get treated by medical workers that strive to heal patients. Residential drug and alcohol treatment centers are a great example of compassionate care. Amazingly, the same behaviors can be found in some of the world's littlest creatures.

Ants, who are widely known for their unparalleled communication and organization, have exhibited acts of caring for their injured or sick. Ants are structured into groups and castes that concentrate on specific tasks or jobs from foraging to fighting. One subgroup of the worker caste has been found to navigate around the colony and tend to injured kin that have returned from the outside. They also focus on eliminating the possible infection of pathogens by cleaning others and disposing of dead colony members.

Additionally, scientists have seen ants exhibit acts of compassion when their mates were in distress. One experiment placed an ant in sinking sand while it was snared by a piece of nylon. Miraculously, others placed themselves at risk by coming to its aid, digging it out and chewing through the nylon to free it, all with no apparent biological reason.

Another insect species that works in the rigidly managed colonies similar to ants are bees. Like the social structure of ants, bees also are separated into varying groups that perform singular tasks. In a hive is an actual nurse bee. Their general purpose is to nourish the hive by providing a secretion known as royal jelly, as well as honey and pollen for older drones. These workers also promote hygiene throughout the hive. Deceased bees and larvae will be removed for the necessity of warding off the potential spread of disease.