Conversely, imagine the world taken over by mutant mosquitoes! Here is a series of photographs taken in the 1940′s giving humankind a dark glimpse into the grim possible future. Being eaten and ruled over by striped mosquitoes…

Mutant Mosquito… in action
Mutant Mosquito… faces human opposition
Mutant Mosquito… the conqueror

Photos courtesy of Bret Arnett on Flickr

How many insects can you name?

Although ants do not have a nasal cavity like humans they have antennae. These are used as a means of communication through the use of chemical signals.  In this way forager ants who scout out ahead of the colony are able to send a signal, by releasing pheromones, that the other ants can pick up that it’s time to eat.  

Ant’s use smells not only to find food but to warn others of eminent danger, death or to distinguish which colony the ant is from.

So don’t be surprised the next time you have a horde of ants crash your picnic and notice that they are before most of your guests.

“This was very informative, Eliza.  Just curious what prompted you to ask that question.”

Because I can smell your dinner burning.  I suppose the real question should be Can Humans Cook?

I, Eliza Leigh, Mutant Ant, feel that for every great movie there are talented ants working behind the scenes. Whether they are directing traffic, eating food or building sets; ants are extremely organized and highly overlooked.

“Oh Please, Eliza, get to your list already.”

That was my Humanoid Translator, yet another one of you mammals who under-appreciates us ants. Here are a few movies that show ants in their glory.

1.  The Ant Bully

2006 animated film featuring some pretty interesting characters.  Classic ant rebellion, they won’t take human tyranny anymore!

A young boy is being bullied in school and to make himself feel better he picks on the ant colony in his backyard. Little does he know that the ants have other plans. He is shrunk by the Ant Wizard (Nicolas Cage) and the Ant Queen (Meryl Streep) decides to teach him a lesson. With the help of others, Lucas, learns valuable lessons about life and self worth. As an ant myself, my favorite character was the potion wielding wizard, Zoc, while my Humanoid Translator’s was without a doubt the exterminator (Paul Giamatti).

2.  A Bug’s Life

This Disney Pixar movie burst on to screen in 1998. Follow along with a clumsy, misunderstood ant, Flick, as he goes on a quest to find warriors strong enough to crush the greedy grasshoppers eating all the food. Flick finds his warriors (a circus act) and they all band together to fight for their rights. Some of the cast includes; David Foley, Kevin Spacey, Denis Leary, David Hyde Pierce, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Hayden Panettiere.

3.  Antz

This ant movie also came out in 1998 with Woody Allen and Sylvester Stallone switching places in their ant colony so Z (Woody Allen) can get noticed by the princess. Between dealing with the princess (Sharon Stone) and battling Gene Hackman as an Army General with an evil plan things get intense for the neurotic hero. Other voice talents are Christopher Walken, Danny Glover and Dan Aykrod.

This one is in my Queue.

4.  The Naked Jungle

The classic featuring “billions of relentless killer ants” is a love story. Charlton Heston and his mail-order bride (Eleanor Parker) romance with the South American jungle and hungry insects as the backdrop. This 1954 film should be watched in school to educate and warn little children about deforestation.

5.  Them!

Another 1954 ant thriller, this one is about giant mutant ants bent on the total annihilation of the human race. It’s one every human should watch during an anti-war campaign. Personally, I have one quibble, as a mutant ant, I find them to be aesthetically unappealing and without any fashion sense. Just because someone is mutated by radiation does not mean they lose their sense of dignity or style.

While there are many other movies featuring ants, the latest Indiana Jones for example, these five show ant’s as the heroes, even if they are chomping on soft human skin. Interested in documentaries? Nova has a few on DVD, check them out if you want the creepy-crawlies.
And throw out that Raid!