Hello folks who wonder if there are any ants that follow a Keto diet and as a result shun the cookies crumbled on the ground,

Have you ever wondered what drives migrating birds to travel thousands of miles each year? Is it really just about warmer weather and a few extra seeds? 

I think there's more to it. It seems to me that these birds are victims of groupthink. Just because one bird does it, or because their ancestors did it, they follow suit without questioning the status quo. 

I haven't seen any bird smart enough to break free from this cycle and ask for help. Imagine if one enterprising bird approached humans and asked for our assistance. "Hey, humans! Instead of flying thousands of miles, could you just knit us some cute sweaters and beanies?" We already provide them with seeds in our bird feeders, so why not?

Case in point is our pet dogs and cats who we dress up in shoes and pirate costumes, and even push them around in baby strollers.

So, where am I going with this? My point is that groupthink can be harmless when groups are doing things for themselves. However, when a group turns its collective energy towards an opponent, that's when carnage ensues.

This seems pretty innocent, when a Giant Honey Bee worker meets its demise, these Indian Orange Acrobat Ants seize this opportunity by bringing their takeout containers and cutting a piece of this dead bee to take it back home.

This alarming escalation raises questions about the consequences of unchecked aggression and the importance of intervening before their behavior spirals out of control.

Observe the major workers who boast oversized heads and the minors which have a normal sized head in proportion to their body.

Another species of ant, that I got an opportunity to observe during my trip is the Asian Weaver Ant. These ants have distinctively elongated bodies and large mandibles which make them easy to spot.

Individually, Asian Weaver Ants appear friendly and harmless. However, when they gather as a group, their behavior transforms.

Their collective mindset prevails, and they relentlessly attack a target, often overwhelming it. In this instance, they turned on a lone beetle, disregarding the emotional distress they inflicted.

I suggested they direct me to their HR department, so I could recommend workplace violence prevention training for all these violent ants. Predictably, I received no response from these "rude" ants.

The ants turned on the beetle simply because it didn't conform to their expectations of what ingredients are valid on a pizza. This disturbing display highlights the darker side of their groupthink dynamics.

And if you haven't had your fill of violence in this post yet, I'll share two more examples.

Next time, when someone uses ants as an example of teamwork, you can respond: "You mean like how ants work together to attack their enemies?"