Why does the little ant work so hard?

The Harvester ants really are fascinating. I’ve easily spent as much time watching them as the kids… maybe more. But I have to admit that as I watched them today, I started to feel a little bit bummed.

On the one hand, they are just ants. They have a short life span and I’ve been trying to think of myself as grateful. I give them a safe little home for the duration of their lives and in return they teach me (and the kids) something about the world. I’m not sure that’s a fair trade, but it’s the way I am choosing to justify it, right or wrong. I have enjoyed seeing them up close, watching them work through the magnifying glass, and seeing how quickly they can complete tunnels and walk straight up the walls of the ant farm.

On the other hand… they are living creatures and I can’t help but feel a little bit cruel for housing them for study. They are workers without a queen. They are busy, busy, busy… but doing what? Accomplishing what?

As I watched them today, I began to wonder just how different they are from people in that respect. How often do we go about our lives having no idea why we are digging that particular tunnel? How often do we dig and dig and dig, only to find out we’ve looped around and resurfaced only inches from where we started. All that work and where does it get us? What have we accomplished?

It’s easy to get caught up in the work. Like those ants operating on instinct alone, it’s easy to apply yourself to the grind day after day, but maybe that mighty fine tunnel is going nowhere. It just circles around on itself and leaves you, more or less, where you began.

I guess I just want to keep in mind that I should always know where my tunnel is headed. I want to make sure I’m digging for a purpose--to support my colony, to fill my personal role--and not simply out of a habitual or instinctual need to dig. I am learning something from our little worker ants, but I’m sorry that they aren’t allowed to be whole.

I think I’ll stick to nature watching in my yard from here on out. I might not be able to see what it’s all about, but at least those little ants will know where they are going… and why.