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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

Japanese scientists show that lazy ant workers step in to replace fatigued workers, improving colony long-term persistence [phys.org].

A quick glance at an ant foraging trail or beehive shows throngs of tireless workers feeding and protecting their colonies. A closer look reveals otherwise. In fact, many ant, bee and termite workers are slackers. In some cases, four-fifths of workers appear to just rest, eat, clean themselves or walk about. The remaining workers toil hard.

Scientists have spotted lazy workers in social insects since the 1980s. Yet insect societies, similar to humans, compete on efficiency and productivity. So what explains the existence of lazy workers?

One possible explanation is that lazy workers slack to ensure the colony's survival against a wipeout of active workers, says a study published in Scientific Reports . In this study, a group of scientists at Hokkaido University and Shizuoka University in Japan found that when active ants are disabled by a rare

catastrophe, the inactive ants, rested and energetic, step in to keep the colony running.

They have so much to teach us, these humble ants.

Original Submission