Rocket studies an anthill by the workshop door with his magnifier.
"Some ants carry food. Some carry sand. Some just stand at the door!"
Raven writes it all down. "What do you notice? Do they all do the same thing?"
"No," says Rocket. "It is like my workshop. Everyone has a station."
Nova glows. "A colony is a team," she hints. "Who do you think lays the eggs?"
In an ant colony, different ants do different jobs.
One ant is the queen. Her job is to lay eggs.
Most ants are workers. Workers gather food, dig tunnels and care for the young.
Some workers guard the entrance to the nest.
A honeybee colony works the same way.
The queen bee lays eggs. Worker bees gather nectar and build the comb.
Workers also feed the young and keep the hive clean.
Because jobs are shared, the colony can do more than any one insect could.
| Colony member | Job |
|---|---|
| queen | lays the eggs |
| worker | gathers food, builds, cleans, cares for young |
| guard worker | stands at the entrance and watches |
Groups also help with young.
In a colony, workers feed and protect the young. The queen never has to.
Some birds nest close together in large groups.
Many adults near many nests means more watchers for danger.
In a herd, the young walk in the middle, guarded on every side.
Young animals raised in a group have a better chance to grow up.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| Every ant in a colony does the same job. | ? |
| Worker bees gather nectar and build the comb. | ? |
| The queen ant gathers food for the colony. | ? |
| Birds that nest close together have more watchers for danger. | ? |
Great observing, explorer! Tomorrow we weigh the good and bad of group life.