Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for Empire of Ants by Susanne Foitzik - Available

Empire of Ants

The Hidden Worlds and Extraordinary Lives of Earth's Tiny Conquerors

by Susanne Foitzik
Olaf Fritsche
Audiobook
92 of 93 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
92 of 93 copies available
Ants number in the ten quadrillions, and they have been here since the Jurassic era. Inside an anthill, you'll find high drama worthy of a royal court; and between colonies, high-stakes geopolitical intrigue is afoot. Just like us, ants grow crops, raise livestock, tend their young and infirm, and make vaccines. And, just like us, ants have a dark side: They wage war, despoil environments, and enslave rivals—but also rebel against their oppressors.
Engineered by nature to fulfill their particular roles, ants flawlessly perform a complex symphony of tasks to sustain their colony—seemingly without a conductor—from fearsome army ants, who stage twelve-hour hunting raids where they devour thousands, to gentle leafcutters cooperatively gardening in their peaceful underground kingdoms.
Acclaimed biologist Susanne Foitzik has traveled the globe to study these master architects of Earth. Joined by journalist Olaf Fritsche, Foitzik invites listeners deep into her world—in the field and in the lab. (How do you observe the behavior of ants just millimeters long—or dissect a brain the width of a needle?) Empire of Ants will inspire new respect for ants as a global superpower—and raise new questions about the very meaning of "civilization."
Disclaimer: This audiobook refers to images included in the print and eBook editions of the book.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 30, 2021

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781666107678
      • File size: 231402 KB
      • Duration: 08:02:05

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      The authors' admiration for ants is evident throughout Cat Gould's narration of this audiobook. Listeners won't have the urge to bring ants home for research, as Suzanne Foitzik's team does, but they might find themselves liking the tiny creatures a little more. That's easy as listeners hear how ants sacrifice themselves for their colonies and measure distance in their brains. Of course, when Gould sounds more amused than horrified as Foitzik describes ants crawling across her face in the night, listeners most likely won't relate. And Gould's reading of the scale for rating ant bites, read with increased intensity by Gould, may also startle listeners. Still, the stories of ants doing things like building vertical cities to rival Manhattan are fascinating. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading
Check Out What's Being Checked Out Right Now