UMary Allen
Iimbovane zizinambuzane ezihlala kunye kwiikoloni. Njengeemnivores, zikwatya ezinye izinambuzane kunye nezigcawu. Kukho iintlobo ezingaphezu kwe-10,000 kwihlabathi jikelele, ezingama-200 kuzo ziseYurophu. Olona hlobo lwaziwayo lwembovane yimbovane yomthi obomvu. Inesiqingatha sesentimitha ukuya kwisentimitha epheleleyo ubude.
Njengazo zonke izinambuzane, iimbovane zinemilenze emithandathu, iqokobhe eliqinileyo, nomzimba onamalungu amathathu wenziwe ngentloko, ithorax nesisu. Iimbovane zinokuba nemibala eyahlukileyo: obomvu-obomvu, omnyama okanye ophuzi. Iimvakalelo ezimbini “ezigobileyo” entloko zikwabizwa ngokuba zii-eriyali. Bayisebenzisela ukuziqhelanisa kuba banokubamba, ukujoja kunye nokungcamla ngeempondo zabo.
Yakhiwe njani ikoloni yeembovane?
Ibutho leembovane linamakhulu ambalwa eimbovane okanye izigidi eziliqela. Phantse zonke iimbovane kwikoloni ngamabhinqa: abasebenzi kunye nookumkanikazi. Iinkunzi zingabonwa ngokufutshane kuphela entwasahlobo. Ngeli xesha zichumisa iimazi. Emva koko bayafa kwakhona.
Abasebenzi banyamekela inzala, ukutya, kwaye bakha indlwane yeembovane. Baphila kuphela iminyaka emibini okanye emithathu ubudala. Iindlovukazi zidla ngokuba nkulu kunezinye iimbovane kwaye zinokuphila ukuya kutsho kwiminyaka engama-25. Bazalela amaqanda kuphela. Iimbovane ezintsha zikhula kula maqanda. Xa ukumkanikazi ezalwa, ubizwa ngokuba yikumkanikazi entsha. Basenokuba baqale ikoloni entsha yeembovane okanye bahlale kwikoloni yabo ukuba kukho ookumkanikazi abaninzi apho.
I-single-queen states ikhula kuphela njengokumkanikazi ngokwakhe. Oku kungenxa yokuba akusekho qanda lizalelwe emva kokufa kwakhe. Ngookumkanikazi abaninzi, iikholoni zeembovane zinokukhula kakhulu: malunga ne-50 ukuya kwi-80 iminyaka.