UConn has received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to preserve and exhibit a collection of two million army ants.
The collection represents the life work of former UConn biologist Carl Rettenmeyer and his wife Marian, who spent the better part of 50 years in Central and South American jungles following, studying and collecting the insects.
This summer, the school will begin digitally cataloguing the ants and creating an online database. They also plan two ant exhibits.
Jane O'Donnell, the biologist who is managing the collection, said the idea is to make the work accessible to everyone, from school students to the world's top ant researchers.
UConn also will be placing four-foot models of the ants on the side of the biology building to publicize the collection.
