Human Culture and Ants

Culture consists of language, ideas, beliefs, customs, taboos, codes, institutions, tools, techniques, works of art, rituals, ceremonies, and symbols. Every human society has its own particular culture, or sociocultural system. Variation among cultures is attributable to such factors as differing physical habitats and resources; the range of possibilities inherent in areas such as language, ritual, and social organization; and historical phenomena such as the development of links with other cultures. An individual's attitudes, values, ideals, and beliefs are greatly influenced by the culture (or cultures) in which he or she lives. How does all this relate to ants? With few exceptions human societies exist in places where ants are a dominant element of our surroundings. We are all aware of ants. They have influenced human culture in the past and present. Biblical references to the industriousness of ants, the creation stories of the Navajo, and ads that state how an exterminator can destroy "all those colonies of unwanted ants" are but some of the examples of how our interactions with ants may be explored in this area of the Antwiki.

For information relating to interactions between non-human species and ants, please refer to Ants in the Natural World.

Books and Literature
The amount of literature on ants is extensive, and ranges from proverbs and stories of old to the writings and findings of past and modern day researchers and authors. We have separated this literature into the categories of Non-fiction, Fiction, Poems and Proverbs, Children's Books and Comics.

Non-fiction Books on Ants


There are a plethora of non-fiction books on ants, with a wide range of different themes and insights. So much so that we have created a table where you can alphabetical sort books by Title, Author, Publication Date, Publisher, Language, and Subject. An additional table has been created that features academic books and other publications which contain specific chapters relating to ants.

These texts are often written with either the academic or the layman in mind as the audience. We have noted this difference in the comment sections of the table when applicable.

Fiction Books on Ants
Ants are not only a focus for studies and tomes written in the world of academia. They have made their way in the fiction realm and used as characters in storytelling for hundred of years. They can range from antagonistic creatures with dark and mysterious ways, to that of the hero come to save the day. A table has been created of past and modern day fiction books where you can alphabetical sort by Title, Author, Publication Date, Publisher, Language, and Subject Heading. An additional table has been created that features books and additional publications that contain chapters and/or stories featuring ants.

We have provided brief summaries of titles in the Notes sections of the table when available.

Children's Books
There are a growing number of books in this category which we have tried to classify by age and/or reading group.

Comics
Ants have found their way into the medium of comic books, where they are visually brought to life to entertain.



Ant-Man was created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby in 1962 and published by Marvel Comics.

Ant is by Mario Gully and published by Arcana Studios (2004) and Image Comics (2006). Ant is a series featuring an insect themed super heroine created by the imagination by young Hannah Washington. ("Ant". The Grand Comics Database. The Grand Comics Database Project, n.d. Web. March 1, 2013. )

The comic An Earth Man on Venus, published in 1950 by Avon Publications based on the book titled The Radio Man by Ralph Milne Farley, published in 1948. The story features scientist Myles Cabot who, from a freak radio accident, is transmitted from Boston to the planet Venus. There he encounters sentient beings, including a populace of giant ants.

Poems and Proverbs
Ants have also been muses and inspirations for people in expressions of rhyme and reason. The following are works in the forms of proverbs and poems featuring ants. (Christy, Robert, comp. Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages. New York, London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1887; Bartleby.com, 2010. www.bartleby.com/89/. [January 26, 2013])


 * A cocoanut-shell full of water is an ocean to an ant. - Tamil
 * An emmet (ant) may work its heart out, but cannot make honey.
 * Even an ant is eight spans long as measured by its own hand. - Tamil
 * None preaches better than the ant, and she says nothing. - Benjamin Franklin

Food

 * Regions where ants may be considered a delicacy
 * Menu's listing ants
 * Nutritional value of ants as food

Medicine

 * Bites and stings
 * Diseases
 * Medicinal value
 * Medical cases involving ants

The Law and Ants

 * Quarentine regulations
 * Keeping ants in captivity and sending ants to others
 * Legal disputes involving ants
 * Forensic medicine

Music

 * "The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah" - Lyrics from The Ants Go Marching

Art
This is potentially a large category that includes original art, scientific art, paintings, drawings, figures of ants on art objects and sculpture.




 * Ants on Stamps



There are a few stamps world wide with images of ants. In the United States it is possible to custom make an official stamp with images of choice including ants.


 * Ant Sculpture


 * Ant Paintings

Movies and Television
"Remember: there are no small parts, only small actors." - Constantin Stanislavski (attributed)

Ants may be the smallest actors out there, but their influence and presence in movies and television is large and, sometimes, in charge.

Movies

 * Ant-Man


 * Nature films, animation, science fiction

Pest Control

 * Ants as Pests


 * Invasive ants


 * Ants that control other pests (Ants as predators of forest pests; Ants to control citrus pests in China)

Games and Humour
"What is this? A center for ants?" - Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) in reference to a scale model. (Zoolander, 2001)

Games

 * Toys and Board Games


 * Ant Farms


 * Ants in the Pants (Hasbro)


 * Multimedia


 * SimAnt


 * Ant Feeder

Humour

 * Jokes