Labour Day: Who are the 'model workers' in the animal world?

The 1st of May, or first Monday in May, is a national public holiday in many countries commonly known as "International Workers' Day." But humans aren't the only workers on Earth.

The life of a worker bee can be divided into three stages. The main responsibility of the youngest is to raise larvae. In this stage they are called nurse bees. When worker bees enter the youth stage, their glands begin to secrete beeswax and they become responsible for building the nest and collecting honey. When the worker bees stop secreting beeswax, they become full-time foragers.

Ants are social insects with a clear and orderly division of labor. Worker ants are mainly responsible for building nests. They are strong, safe and intricate constructions. In addition to this, worker ants must constantly forage for food, defend their homes, and take care of both the larvae and queens.

Weaver birds are the master architects of the animal kingdom. Although they are small in size, they are very powerful at building! When constructing a nest, some are responsible for commanding and assigning tasks, while others are responsible for specific areas of construction. All the birds work hard to complete their tasks. They use grass, leaves or branches to build residential areas that can accommodate hundreds.

Beavers also have a unique knack for building dams. When they move to a new river, they build dams first. They chew up small trees, drag them to their destination, and then fill the trunks with mud, stones and twigs. This dam will block the water flow and form a small pond where they then build a nest. This can help them hide from natural predators, allowing them to thrive safely.