Adventures among Ants: A Global Safari with a Cast of Trillions
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"Mark Moffett has been described as 'the Jane Goodall of ants.' Certainly Adventures among Ants, with its detailed account of his fieldwork, makes an invaluable contribution to our scientific knowledge of these creatures. But it does more. It is so well written and captures his excitement so wonderfully that it will bring this wealth of information to a far wider audience. I was fascinated by ants when I was a child—how I wish this book had been available to me then!"—Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute, and UN Messenger of Peace"Mark Moffett is in the front rank of present-day explorer naturalists. He has been in many of the most remote parts of the world, and has thorough scientific knowledge of his subject. His photographs are superb, the best ever taken."—Edward O. Wilson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Future of Life and The Ants"I love the book. Mark's excitement and joy will affect anyone willing to take a dive into a bizarre world. I will never intentionally step on another ant—perhaps out of a new love, respect or fear. The book truly grows on you rather then swarming up your leg."—Kary Mullis, Author of Dancing Naked in the Mind Field and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry"Mark Moffett's alluring stories show the extraordinary behavior of a world still on the edge of discovery. From swarm raiders to empire builders, Adventures among Ants combines brilliant portraits of six species with thought-provoking lessons about the nature of social evolution."—Richard Wrangham, Author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human"Think you know all about ants? Think again, and take it from Mark W. Moffett, who has traveled all over the world to study them. The world of ants seems to be a parallel universe to our own. It's rife with warfare, terrorism, traffic jams and highway infrastructure. There is freedom and servitude, disease and hygiene, tool use and teamwork. A stimulating read, with stunning photography."—Bernd Heinrich, author of The Mind of the Raven"Mark Moffett is second to none as a naturalist storyteller. His big book of ant adventures is resplendent in detail, information, and theory, with that inimitable personal touch."—Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine, columnist for Scientific American"This book will return you to the magic you knew as a child, when you watched a tiny parade of creatures and understood: Here, too, is life. Here you will find a parallel universe of mysterious, alien creatures silently emerging from and returning to their dark and magical queendoms."—Dale Peterson, author of Elephant Reflections"Mark Moffett's Adventures among Ants is a complete celebration of the fascinations of ants that is accessible to the general reader. Happily the book has much to offer professional biologists too. Here academics can acquire novel perspectives on issues associated with ant social biology, ranging from the foraging tactics of army ants to the evolution of the extraordinary invasive ant species now conquering the Northern Hemisphere to the utility of the term 'superorganism.' Admire the photographs but do not neglect the text."—John Alcock, author of Animal Behavior The New York Times - Richard B. Woodward Mr. Moffett…writes with an entertainer's instinct for hooking a restless audience…Along with honoring the interdependence of life forms and offering provocative thoughts on the meaning of individuality within a rigid but highly intelligent mass-minded hierarchy, the author heightens awareness of the mundane, deadly struggles for survival that go on every day beneath our feet.
Introduction Travels with My Ants 1A Brief Primer on Ants 7Marauder Ant, the Ultimate Omnivore1 Strength in Numbers 122 The Perfect Swarm 233 Division of Labor 364 Infrastructure 515 Group Transport 62African Army Ant, Raiders on the Swarm6 Big Game Hunters 727 Clash of the Titans 858 Notes from Underground 95Weaver Ant, Empress of the Air9 Canopy Empires 11010 Fortified Forests 12011 Negotiating the Physical World 133Amazon Ant, the Slavemaker12 Slaves of Sagehen Creek 14813 Abduction in the Afternoon 157Leafcutter Ant, the Constant Gardener14 A Fungus Farmer's Life 17015 The Origins of Agriculture 187Argentine Ant, the Global Invader16 Armies of the Earth 20217 The Immortal Society 213Conclusion: Four Ways of Looking at an Ant 221Acknowledgments and a Note on Content 232Notes 234Index 265
