Fijian Ants Were World's First Farmers

By JIM PURCELL

According to an article posted today by Nature World News, written by Monica Antonio, the first farmers on earth were not human but were, in fact, Fijian ants. The insect farmers have, according to new research by the University of Munich, discovered that ant farming has been going on for millions of years, far out-distancing humans in the endeavor.

Fijian ants: Not new to agriculture.

The new study has been published in the journal Nature Plants and it specifically focuses on the Fijian ant species Philidris nagasau. The breed of ant was discovered in 1921 and makes its living by planting seeds of epiphytes, such as Squamellaria, in the bark of host trees and tending them like a garden.

According to the University of Munich study, the ants know how to sow seeds, fertilize them and grow them into plants. The researchers involved with this study are Gillaume Chomicki and Susanne Renner.

Chomicki reportedly told NPR, "I first noticed the relationship when I saw dozens of these ant-filled plants clustered in the same trees." For fertilization, ants use their own bodily waste and then harvest the seeds of the Squamellaria when they are fully grown.

The study noted that while it is not yet sure exactly how long the Fijian ants have been farming, the years number in the millions, compared to humans who have only been farming for about 12,000 years.