Articles

Ants & Plants

by Jonathan C. O'Quinn, D.P.M., M.S.

Rather than envisioning life as the meaningless product of evolutionary forces, the Bible teaches that an intelligent and holy Creator purposefully created each and every living thing. Those who appreciate the biblical account of creation value all living things, understanding that each one is a miracle in itself.

Although they are unwelcome guests at picnics, ants provide one of the world’s most important means of distributing plant seeds. Over 3,000 species of plants from diverse habitats worldwide rely on ants to spread their seeds. These plants each produce a special reward for their little helpers. The reward consists of a nutrient-rich fat body, called an elaiosome, which is near or attached to the seeds. Due to the highly social nature of ants, they carry these seeds back to their nests, where the elaiosomes serve as a rich food source for their larvae. After the elaiosomes have been eaten, the ants carry the seeds to their communal garbage dumps, which contain various types of organic materials such as the remains of prey, ant corpses and excrement. Here, the seeds have a well-fertilized environment in which to germinate.

It is so clear that there is both intelligence and careful planning behind the special relationship between ants and these plants. The fact that thousands of ant and plant species all around the world are partners in this beneficial arrangement makes it that much harder for evolutionary theory to explain its grand design, pointing us to the limitless creativity of our heavenly Creator.

Bibliography:

Beattie, A.J. and S.N. Handel. 1990. Scientific American. 263(2):76-83.

Editor’s note: For more information about ants, see http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/wildlife/

1999sp_ants.html

http://www.creationresearch.org/creation_matters/pdf/2004/CM09%2003a.PDF