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. Every society has a word 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, Quotations and Proverbs, Children's Books and Comics.

Non-fiction

 * Non-fiction Books on Ants Tables

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

 * Fiction Books on Ants Tables

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 and Young Readers

 * Children's Books Table

Children have a great fascination with ants. Ants seem to capture the interest and imagination of kids readily and frequently. There are a number of stories that star ants, including those of friendship, mathematics, and adventure to name a few. A table has been made where you can alphabetical sort these books by Title, Author, Publication Date, Publisher, Language, and Subject. We have also provided age and/or reading group levels for titles in the Notes section.

Comic Books and Graphic Novels
Ants have found their way into an additional medium of print: comics! Through pencil and ink drawings ants are brought to life visually to entertain any to all ages. A variety and stories and themes can be found, such as trials and tribulations of ant inspired super heroes and heroines. A handful of fictional tales featuring ants are available in graphic novel and comic book editions.

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, Massachusetts to the planet Venus. There he encounters sentient beings, including a populace of giant ants.
 * An Earth Man on Venus

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

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

Quotations 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 quotations featuring ants.


 * 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


 * What could the ant do if it had the head of a bull? - German


 * Ants never sleep. - Ralph Waldo Emerson—Nature. Ch. IV
 * While an ant was wandering under the shade of the tree of Phæton, a drop of amber enveloped the tiny insect; thus she, who in life was disregarded, became precious by death. - Martial—Epigrams. Bk. VI. Ep. 15
 * Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. - Proverbs. VI. 6.


 * The instincts of the ant are very unimportant, considered as the ant’s; but the moment a ray of relation is seen to extend from it to man, and the little drudge is seen to be a monitor, a little body with a mighty heart, then all its habits, even that said to be recently observed, that it never sleeps, become sublime. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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

 * Staring Role

THEM! (1954)

Antz (1998)

A Bug’s Life (1998)

Ant-Man (expected 2015)


 * Supporting Cast

The Naked Jungle (1954)

"TWO terrible things eat on Charlton Heston in ... Paramount's 'The Naked Jungle,' ... (t)he first of these is vanity and the second is soldier ants." - Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Ants are the antagonistic Marabunta who Christopher Leiningen (Charlton Heston) fights to protect his South American plantation and land in this film based on the classic short story “Leiningen Versus the Ants” by Carl Stephenson. The Marabunta are a massive army of soldier ants feeding their way across the jungle in an overwhelming wave of black. Leiningen orders his plantation workers to construct of a moat surrounding the house, hoping to stop the ants. However, the ants are able to across the water by sailing on fallen leaves. The ants are next met with a barrier of fire, yet they keep swarming. Leiningen’s final act to against the Marabunta is to blow up a nearby river dam and sink the ants en masse.

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

"Benefitting the story’s frail antic tone, this benevolent pismire is called 'Anty'." - Michael Wilmington, Los Angeles Times

This movie may center on the adventures the Szalinski and Thompson children have after getting accidental shrunk by a minimizing ray. However, the heart of the story comes from the camaraderie the kids strike up with a backyard, red-colored ant. With the help of cookie crumbs, "Anty" helps the kids travel through the Szalinski's backyard back to their parents by let them ride along his back. Anty further proves his friendship and courage by throwing himself at a vicious, attacking scorpion to protect the kids.

The Ant Bully (2006)


 * Cameo Appearance

Matinee (1993)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Television
The Atom Ant Show (1965 - 1968)

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 worldwide with images of ants. Many of these stamps are beautifully designed.

In the United States it is possible to custom make an official stamp with images of choice including ants.

There are many interesting ant designs on T-shirts, many are cartoon designs while others depict ants with accurate morphological detail.
 * Ants on T-shirts

There is a wide selection of clip art that is copyright free showing ants as the main topic.
 * Ants in Clip Art


 * Ant Paintings


 * Ant Sculpture



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


 * Images

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

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

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)