Category: Invertebrates
Ticks are small, blood-sucking arachnids of the order Parasitiformes, with over 900 known species. They most likely emerged during the Cretatious (65-145 million years ago), and have thrived in warm, humid climates, ever since. Parasites, ticks survive by drinking the blood of their hosts -- typically mammals or birds, occasionally reptiles or amphibians -- an act that in and of itself is typically not harmful, but one that makes them a serious vector for diseases that affect humans and other animals, such as Lyme disease.
It’s an ant’s world. We’re just living in it.
Do humans truly dominate the world? The Argentine ant may have something to say about that. Many ants are known for their large colonies, but the Argentine ant, named for its South American origins takes this to a whole other level. Due to inadvertent introduction by humans, the Argentine ant has spread to all continents except Antarctica. There are now three known super-colonies of these ants: one in Europe (the largest, covering 3,700 miles), one in California (560 miles), and another on the west coast of Japan. Ants are often territorial, but amazingly, ants belonging to the super-colonies recognize one another: if you were to introduce a super colony ant from Japan to one from Europe or California, they will recognize each other as friends!
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