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Evolution question

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richph On March 07, 2010




Oxford, United Kingdom
#1New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 06:48:34
I was watching a documentary last night which claimed that natural selection had so much evidence to support it that scientists can almost claim it as fact.

From what I understand an ant-eater say would develop a long snout and tongue over thousands of years in order to burrow for ants more efficiently, but why don't ants develop a more potent toxin to counteract the greater efficiency of the ant-eater, or become less numerous so as to hide better, or simply become less tasty? What stops ants developing wings to just fly off? Do ants have a gene that tells them they are too numerous to die out, or do they have a switch that shuts off their survival instinct?

Is this a stupid question? Is there a simple answer?
sugarflyguy On March 15, 2010
Pro-Pho-tographer


Deleted



Leaving TFS today:), United Ki
#2New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 06:53:34
There are flying ants

Here is one such example of a flying ant


I personally don't like them, but hey, it is nature, so I deal with it
whisper On December 30, 2009




swansea, United Kingdom
#3New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 06:53:35
There is a simple answer...If the ants developed a way of not being eaten, the ant eater would not be called an ant eater as there would be no ants for it to eat xx
El_Tino On October 12, 2023
booyaka!





Albuquerque, New Mexico
#4New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 06:54:12
The ant's evolution is probably that there are so many of them and they multiply quickly. The ants that didn't do that probably died out.
whisper On December 30, 2009




swansea, United Kingdom
#5New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 06:57:29
Yes, I agree el tino, imagine if there was nothing to control the ant population....anarchy...I mean, for example..look at China..If they didn't have the one child per family policy, the population would be totally uncontrollable
DickieBell On January 18, 2010

Deleted



14AYSTACK!, California
#6New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 07:00:07
There are no stupid questions, only stupid people.

But you're not a stupid person, 'cause that's a good question. It makes you wonder. But maybe they did evolve against the anteater. Maybe ants used to have less complex tunnels, or didn't hide their queen as deep. That's what I think is the reason ants are still eaten by the anteater. As long as the queen is untouched, the colony will live on. All the other ants are pretty much born to be disposable.
El_Tino On October 12, 2023
booyaka!





Albuquerque, New Mexico
#7New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 07:02:09
Yeah, all the other ants are just pawns.
whisper On December 30, 2009




swansea, United Kingdom
#8New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 07:04:02
Sometimes I feel disposable..but thats for another post maybe lol..Pawns of the world unite!
richph On March 07, 2010




Oxford, United Kingdom
#9New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 10:41:26
Who'd have thought a flying ant!! That makes me wonder why everything can't fly, everything can swim. But I agree, Sugarfly, I hate them too, but then I hate all insects and spiders, especially!

That's what I don't understand, Whisper, if nature develops animals so that it's survival of the fittest, surely the end result would be animals that can't be eaten by any other animal?

That's what worries me, El Tino, if there is a biological switch to curtail survival instinct, what about us? Will Nature say we are too many, and how many is too many?

That makes sense, d***ie, I suppose there may be an infinite number of ways to survive!
DrowningInDespair On July 15, 2010




, United Kingdom
#10New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 10:43:16
@richph Said

Who'd have thought a flying ant!! That makes me wonder why everything can't fly, everything can swim. But I agree, Sugarfly, I hate them too, but then I hate all insects and spiders, especially!

That's what I don't understand, Whisper, if nature develops animals so that it's survival of the fittest, surely the end result would be animals that can't be eaten by any other animal?

That's what worries me, El Tino, if there is a biological switch to curtail survival instinct, what about us? Will Nature say we are too many, and how many is too many?

That makes sense, d***ie, I suppose there may be an infinite number of ways to survive!


I'd have to say sentience would prevent a 'survival switch' in humans. It'd have to be a conscious racial decision.
whisper On December 30, 2009




swansea, United Kingdom
#11New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 11:30:22
I think there are a few species that are not hunted themselves..Crocodiles spring to mind
spadge On February 18, 2010
Aging Disgracefully


Deleted



Santa Land, United Kingdom
#12New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 11:39:22
@whisper Said

I think there are a few species that are not hunted themselves..Crocodiles spring to mind



Except by humans. We'll kill anything.
whisper On December 30, 2009




swansea, United Kingdom
#13New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 11:40:51
Good answer spadge!
buffalobill90 On July 12, 2013
Powered by tea





Viaticum, United Kingdom
#14New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 12:38:02
@richph Said

I was watching a documentary last night which claimed that natural selection had so much evidence to support it that scientists can almost claim it as fact.

From what I understand an ant-eater say would develop a long snout and tongue over thousands of years in order to burrow for ants more efficiently, but why don't ants develop a more potent toxin to counteract the greater efficiency of the ant-eater, or become less numerous so as to hide better, or simply become less tasty? What stops ants developing wings to just fly off? Do ants have a gene that tells them they are too numerous to die out, or do they have a switch that shuts off their survival instinct?

Is this a stupid question? Is there a simple answer?



Predators and prey which inhabit the same ecosystem for millions of years will sometimes engage in an evolutionary 'arms race' in which the aggressive and defensive traits they possess will become increasingly refined. This is what has resulted in the cheetah being the fastest land animal, and the marlin the fastest sea creature.
KAMPA On October 28, 2013
Admiral Karl Donuts





Uhlan Bator, Mongolia
#15New Post! Sep 27, 2009 @ 12:42:13
@richph Said

I was watching a documentary last night which claimed that natural selection had so much evidence to support it that scientists can almost claim it as fact.

From what I understand an ant-eater say would develop a long snout and tongue over thousands of years in order to burrow for ants more efficiently, but why don't ants develop a more potent toxin to counteract the greater efficiency of the ant-eater, or become less numerous so as to hide better, or simply become less tasty? What stops ants developing wings to just fly off? Do ants have a gene that tells them they are too numerous to die out, or do they have a switch that shuts off their survival instinct?

Is this a stupid question? Is there a simple answer?

There are plenty of ant species that ant eaters won't eat!
They have learned which have overwhelming toxins and mandibles,and there are many of those!
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