A nation has to decide on May 7th

The closest General Election in generations…if not that exciting. Neither of the main parties are likely to secure the necessary majority; Labour are slightly better placed in the likelihood of a hung parliament; Ed Miliband has exceeded expectations; David Cameron is hoping for an ‘incumbency’ effect to give the Tories a surge in the polls in the final 10 days; Nick Clegg continues to be a disappointing non-entity; the Green Party misfires with their poor choice of leader; and Nigel Farage has certainly added spice to the proceedings (and also diluted the support on the right)

  


The election manifestos of the main political parties… Erm..would you trust any of these parties to lead the country for the next five years? 

  


Election campaign posters are not as good as they used to be…

 

I love Ants – April ’15 Edition

It started here…
These four books are the reason why I am obsessed with ants. Thank you again  Bert Hölldobler and Edward O. Wilson 

  



The Argentine ant’s ongoing rise to ecological dominance
 
The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, has become established in over 15 countries throughout the world, spanning six continents, including a number of isolated, oceanic islands like Hawaii.

  



How our workplaces often use the ant super organism as ‘role models’ for productivity

  


One for the UKIP party!

 
 


Driver Ants – three facts about the most hellish of ants
The army ant genus Dorylus, also known as driver ants, safari ants or siafu, are a nomadic species found primarily in central and east Africa, but have been reported in tropical Asia. They build colonies (ant hills) that can grow up to over 20 million strong. These temporary colonies can last up to three months depending on the availability of food. When they run of food, they begin a march in groups of 50,000 in search of more provisions and a new home. 
Some more facts..
  1. Driver ants will fiercely attack anything that encounters them. 
  2. This is the only insect species known to attack and devour humans (usually the young, the infirm or debilitated).
  3. Driver ants don’t readily use their sting. They are more likely to use their mandibles to rip apart prey like other insects, snakes, and birds. 
  4. Such is the strength of their jaws, some communities in East Africa have used their mandibles as emergency suture for holding wounds together.
  5. When preying on animals such as goats, cows, and zebras (and human beings!), they will usually attack in swarms numbering the hundreds and thousands, with the aim of finding an opening (usually the mouth or nose) and causing asphyxiation by crawling into the lungs of their victims.