Hi
,
Ants are everywhere. Well, almost. I don't think any live at the poles, but they do live in some places you would hardly believe! Like the ones that live in the Sahara Desert. There are several species, but all from the same
genus.
They are designed to live in the extremely harsh conditions found there - namely, the dryness and especially, the heat! Surface temperatures in this region can reach close to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. There is virtually no creature that can
survive these temperatures. So, how does this ant do it?
First, the ants can't tolerate this for very long at all - perhaps ten minutes, but more than likely, only five! Not only do the ants have to survive the heat, they also have to be able to find prey and get it back to the nest within that
time frame. The prey is normally other creatures that have succumbed to the heat. Whether the ant finds prey or not, it has to be able to get back to its nest before it also becomes a victim of the sun. But, it has a major problem doing this. Virtually all ants follow chemical trails they make, and it's easy for them to find their way using this method. However, the intense heat destroys the chemicals right away, so there's no way the ant can find its way back in the "normal"
way.
You'd think that living here would be impossible for the ant. It would in fact be impossible - if God hadn't created a few astounding characteristics that enable them to do so. Next week, I'll show you what they
are!...
