The chapter “The Tiny Teacher” talks about the life of ants and how they are one of the most hardworking and intelligent creatures. Even though ants are very small, they are well-organized and live in harmony. They have a strong sense of discipline and teamwork, which helps them survive and thrive. Ants live in anthills, which are their well-structured homes. These anthills have different sections for different purposes. The queen ant has a special chamber where she lays eggs, and there are separate nurseries for baby ants. There are also food storage rooms and special areas where soldier ants stay to guard the colony. Each ant has a specific role, and they never interfere in each other’s work.

The queen ant is the most important member of the colony because she is the mother of all ants. She has wings but loses them after her wedding flight. Her only job is to lay eggs, and she can live for about 15 years. The eggs hatch into tiny grubs, which are cared for by worker ants. After some time, these grubs become cocoons, and later they turn into fully grown ants. The young ants are trained by the older ones for different jobs like collecting food, protecting the nest, or taking care of the young.

Ants communicate with each other through their feelers (antennae). If you watch a line of ants closely, you will see them touching each other with their feelers whenever they meet. This is how they pass messages to one another. They are very disciplined and never fight among themselves. Every ant does its work sincerely, and this is why their lives are peaceful and well-managed.

Ants also allow other creatures to live in their anthills, like beetles, smaller ants, and greenflies. Some of these creatures are useful to ants. For example, the greenfly is like a cow for ants because it provides them with a sweet liquid called honeydew, which ants love to drink.

This chapter teaches us important lessons from ants. They show us the value of hard work, discipline, teamwork, cleanliness, and caring for others. If humans could follow these lessons, society would be much more peaceful and organized. Ants may be tiny, but they are great teachers!