As a scout, the spy approaches. Unnoticed, she counts her enemies, then returns to her camp and gathers her troops. Hundreds of female soldiers are led into the enemy zone. Without mercy, they smash their opponents to pieces, at the cost of many wounded. In solidarity, the soldiers who had been spared took their comrades back to camp for treatment. The wounded were soon ready for battle again.
This story is not a chronicle of war, but of a raid by Matabele ants against termites. This phenomenon, observed by biologists, shows the fascinating strategy used by these ants to fight, then save and heal their team-mates.
Erik T. Frank is one of those who has spent hours lying on the ground in Côte d’Ivoire studying them. It is his field experience in the Comoé National Park that he recounts here. The organization of these ants, sometimes warriors, sometimes doctors, amazes him, as does the resistance of termites. But what really caught his attention was the secret recipe for treating the wounded…
An adventure story as much as an introduction to tropical biology, this inspiring book is a must-read for everyone.
