Paragraph 1:
The ant is the smallest, yet the wisest insect. People often overlook this tiny creature, but ants are fascinating in many ways. They live in comfortable homes known as nests or anthills, which consist of numerous rooms and passages. In these nests, different ants have specific duties. For example, the queen ant lays eggs in some rooms, while others serve as nurseries for the young ants called “grubs.” Worker ants are responsible for searching for food, and some rooms act as storehouses to keep this food safe. The soldiers have their own separate barracks, and no worker ever enters a soldier’s quarters. This organization makes the life of an ant peaceful and efficient.
Questions and Answers:
1: What is the smallest and wisest insect mentioned in the text?
The ant is the smallest and wisest insect.
2: What are the homes of ants called?
The homes of ants are called nests or anthills.
3: What is the purpose of the rooms in an ant nest?
The rooms serve different purposes, such as laying eggs, nurseries for grubs, quarters for workers, storehouses for food, and barracks for soldiers.
4: Who lays eggs in the ant nest?
The queen ant lays eggs in the nest.
5: Why is the life of an ant considered peaceful?
The life of an ant is peaceful because each ant does its assigned work intelligently and cooperatively without fighting with others.
Paragraph
Ants communicate with each other through their antennae. When ants encounter one another while moving in opposite directions, they greet each other by touching their feelers. This behavior helps them to send messages and signals within their colony. Different types of ants, such as black and red ants, can be observed performing their various roles in the colony. Some ants are workers, while others are soldiers. Despite their different roles, ants never interfere with each other’s duties, and no worker harms a grub. This teamwork and coordination make the ant colony one of the most organized social structures in nature.
Questions and Answers:
1: How do ants communicate with each other?
Ants communicate by passing messages through their antennae.
2: What happens when ants encounter each other while moving in opposite directions?
When ants meet, they greet each other by touching their feelers.
3: What are the different types of ants mentioned in the text?
The different types of ants mentioned are black ants and red ants.
4: What is the role of worker ants in the colony?
Worker ants spend most of their time searching for food.
5: How do ants maintain harmony in their colony?
Ants maintain harmony by each performing their specific role without interfering with others, and no worker harms a grub.
Paragraph 2:
After the queen ant’s ‘wedding’ flight, which takes place on a hot summer day, she meets a male ant, or drone, high in the air. Upon her return, she gets rid of her wings and starts laying eggs. The eggs soon hatch into grubs. These grubs are protected by soldier ants, while worker ants take care of feeding, cleaning, and even carrying the grubs for fresh air and exercise. After two to three weeks, the grubs form cocoons and remain inactive for about three weeks. Once the cocoons break open, perfect ants emerge. These young ants are then trained by the older ants to take on various roles, such as workers, soldiers, builders, and cleaners. After this training, they are ready to start their work in the colony.
Questions and Answer:
- What happens to the queen ant after the ‘wedding’ flight?
The queen ant gets rid of her wings and starts laying eggs. - What role do soldier ants play in the life cycle of ants?
Soldier ants guard the grubs. - How do worker ants care for the grubs?
Answer: Worker ants feed and clean the grubs and carry them around for fresh air and sunshine. - What happens to the grubs after two or three weeks?
The grubs become cocoons and remain inactive for three weeks. - How do young ants learn their roles in the colony?
Young ants learn their duties from older ants through training.
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An anthill is not just a home for ants but also for other creatures like beetles, lesser breeds of ants, and greenflies. Ants welcome these creatures into their nests for several reasons. Some of these creatures give off pleasant smells, others provide sweet juices, and some are even kept as pets, much like cats and dogs are kept by humans. The greenfly, in particular, is treated like the ants’ cow. The ants “milk” the greenfly by touching it with their antennae to collect honeydew, which is similar to milk. This relationship benefits both species—the ants get nourishment, and the greenfly is protected by the ants.
Questions:
- What other creatures live in an anthill besides ants?
Beetles, lesser breeds of ants, and greenflies live in an anthill. - Why do ants allow other creatures to live in their nests?
Some creatures give off pleasant smells, others provide sweet juices, and some are kept as pets. - How do ants treat the greenfly?
The ants treat the greenfly like their cow, milking it for honeydew. - How do ants “milk” the greenfly?
Ants touch the greenfly with their antennae to collect honeydew. - What benefits do the ants and the greenfly get from their relationship?
The ants get nourishment from the honeydew, and the greenfly is protected by the ants.
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