Five thriving animal societies

Arya Shetty lists some adaptors that grow in complex environments

Vampire Bat

Just like humans, many creatures have complex social structures. Below are five such species from across the globe that work together to achieve a common goal.

Leafcutter ants

Endemic to parts of Mexico, Central America and South America, these ants pave huge pathways to their nest to aid in transporting leaves. Often mistaken for food, the leaves are actually fertilisers used to cultivate fungus, which the larvae eat. The smaller minims tend to the fungus gardens while the larger ones focus on defending the nest. The mediae ants on the other hand use their jaws to forage leaves.

Blue streak cleaner wrasses

These fish survive by eating parasites and dead tissues off of larger species. Found in coral reefs across the Indian and Pacific oceans, cleaner wrasses have a full-fledged business. They are situated at ‘cleaning stations’ where fish, octopuses and turtles gather to avail the cleaning services. They even perform a little dance to greet their clients. Talk about great customer service!

Honey bees

Contrary to popular belief, a bee hive does not have a monarchical structure ruled by the queen. While she does play a role in maintaining the unity of the hive, her primary purpose is to lay eggs, not rule over her subjects.

On matters such as when to change hive locations and select a new queen, the workers of the hive take a collective decision. The scout bees fly to their preferred location and perform a waggle dance to announce their choice.

Common vampire bats

‘Sharing is caring’ is the motto of the vampire bats. Native to Latin America, they tend to live in large colonies. They are the only mammals that survive solely on blood and can only last 70 hours before starving to death. In the event that a bat hasn’t got its supper, its colony-mates will share some via regurgitation; that is, they have blood spit into their mouth.

Naked mole rat

This mammal from East Africa is closer to bees and ants in its social structure. They live in colonies ruled by a queen, the only breeding female who mates with a handful of reproductive male rats. Naked mole rats are eusocial mammals, who prioritise the good of the colony. Some individuals in the colony sacrifice their reproductive potential to tend to the offsprings of others. While common among insects, eusociality in mammals has only been confirmed in two species of
mole rats.