Alfred speaks: "Hard Workers"

Alfred is our very cheerful, zealous and fired up brother. He loves children and is always inspiring others with his soft heart towards the word of God.

Proverbs 30:24-28

^{PR 30:24} "Four things on earth are small,

    yet they are extremely wise:

 

  ^{PR 30:25} Ants are creatures of little strength,

    yet they store up their food in the summer;

 

  ^{PR 30:26} coneys are creatures of little power,

    yet they make their home in the crags;

 

  ^{PR 30:27} locusts have no king,

    yet they advance together in ranks;

 

  ^{PR 30:28} a lizard can be caught with the hand,

yet it is found in kings' palaces.

 

The bible mentions about the four creatures that are small but yet extremely wise. They are Ants, Coneys, Locusts & Lizards. Though all may seem small and harmless, there are areas that the Lord wants us to learn from them. Today, we shall take a closer look of each of this creature. To begin I shall share specifically on Ants.

�The queen ant lays all the eggs in the anthill. 
�Wood ants squirt acid from the end of their abdomens.
�Wood ant workers live seven to ten years.
�Wood ants make anthills out of twigs, leaves and soil.
�The queen ant lives up to ten or twenty years.
�The wood ant can threaten the enemy with open jaws.
�There are thirty-five thousand kinds of ants in the world.
�The queen ant has wings.
�The army ant bites and stings any bug that comes toward it.
�The army ant can even bite a huge snake.
�Ants have two stomachs one for them and one to feed others.
�Some ants sleep seven hours a day.
�The queen licks the eggs to make them hatch.
�The queen feeds her eggs her own saliva. 
�Some ants can have up to three queens.

One of the main jobs of ants is to look for food. They are scavengers and are one of nature's best clean up crews. Believe it or not, ants are responsible for "cleaning up" much of the environment all around the world. When creatures die, ants will pick at whatever remains until all the edible parts are gone. Once food is found, an ant lays down a scent as it returns to the nest. Other ants will pick up this scent and follow the trail to the food.

Some ants actually care for and "farm" other insects! Aphids, scale insects and mealybugs suck the sap of plants. These insects can't use all the sugar that they get from the plants, so they excrete "honeydew", which the ants collect to feed the colony. Ants will transport aphids from plant to plant and take the eggs into their colony for the winter. Ants will also defend aphids from insect predators, such as lady beetles and lacewings, by attacking them in large numbers.

Ants have set a good example for humans for their hard work and cooperation. 

Ø      Hard working

Hard working is always the word to use to describe the ants. In the internet, we can easily find stories about the hard working ants. Here are some interesting facts about the hardworking ants:

The ants cut, collect, and scavenge about 200 kg (dry weight) of plant materials each year. Each colony has a foraging range as large as the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

That’s Amazing! In a year, a colony of ants can collect food up to the size of an aircraft carrier. The ant is indeed a very hard working creature. Let’s us imitate this diligent creature and never give up in doing what is good.