The Expanded Self: Society as Self 287“9x6” b2726 Self and the Phenomenon of Life: A Biologist Examines Life from Molecules to Humanity12.13 Intra-species Conflicts From Ants to Humans
12.13.1 Ant warfare
Ants are the most warlike of all animals. They conduct wars with colonies
not only of alien species but also of their own. They far exceed humans
in aggressiveness and cruelty. Their war policies include restless aggres-
sion, territorial conquest, and genocidal annihilation of neighboring col-
onies. Some ant species have a specialized soldier caste whose only role
in the society is to fight and kill. They are larger than the worker ants
and are equipped with strong muscles and sharp, clipper-like mandibles
ready to chop off the enemy’s head and legs, and to cut up the rest of its
body into pieces. Some ants are programmed to be “suicide bombers”;
their bodies are filled with toxic chemicals, ready to be discharged by
an explosive muscle contraction when they are hard pressed during an
attack or defense. Ant warfare is about territory and food, and is espe-
cially intense in times of food shortage. When worker ants contact an
enemy, they run back to the nest, leaving a trail of pheromone to guide
the recruits to the battleground. Their war tactics are extremely varied
and include such ploys as stone dropping for attack and nest blocking
for defense. Some species spray a chemical maze to disable and confuse
the opponents in order to prey on their brood. Some species are expert
sappers, digging elaborate tunnels from the home nest to the enemy
nest before embarking on an all-out surprised attack. They also exercise
rudimentary diplomacy by picketing the rival territory or bluffing their
foes into submission without a fight. Some ants prefer to engage in an
elaborate tournament, displaying their physical strength to intimidate
and chase away the opposite party. The slave-maker ants capture their
enemies as spoils of war and drive them into slavery.^47
12.13.2 Chimpanzee territorial expansion
Perhaps the most vivid human-like warfare has been observed in chim-
panzees at Ngogo, in Uganda’s Kibale National Park.^48 These animals