Video: Watch scientists excavate a giant anthill

Video still from Ants! Nature's Secret Power

A giant ant colony is pumped full of concrete, then excavated to reveal the intricate complexity of its inner structure. A must see!

This video clip, from a 2006 documentary (Ants! Natures Secret Power), shows the excavation of a giant colony of grass-cutter ants. Over the course of 3 days, scientists pumped 10 tons of cement into an abandoned ant hill. After weeks of digging, the colony’s intricate and impressive structure is revealed.

If this clip piques your interest, the full-length documentary can be viewed here. The documentary introduces us to the world of ants through the eyes of Bert Hölldobler, entomologist and friend of world renowned scientist E.O. Wilson. Award-winning cameraman Wolfgang Thaler captured the scene. The more I learn about ants, the more my mind is blown.

Video still from Ants! Nature’s Secret Power

Bottom line: Video clip from Ants! Nature’s Secret Power by cameraman Wolfgang Thaler and entomologist Bert Hölldobler. It shows how scientists pumped 10 tons of cement into an abandoned ant hill, then excavated to reveal its intricate structure.

Emily Howard, Producer and On-Air Host, helps create EarthSky audio and video science products in English and Spanish. You might hear her voice on an EarthSky 90-second podcast, or on EarthSky 22, your weekly 22 minutes of science and music from Austin, Texas. Emily oversees the scheduling and production of EarthSky en Español’s audio, video, and online content. She is responsible for setting and enforcing deadlines, and reporting on product development. Emily graduated with honors from the University of Texas with a major in History (focus on Latin American Studies) and a minor in Spanish. She further cultivated her Spanish skills while living abroad in Valparaíso, Chile, and traveling extensively throughout South America, Mexico and Spain.