Thoughts on UFO's??

[Jenae LaTorque]

Originally Posted by Tread

I would say that the biggest animal group (insects) don’t have something that could be called instinct.

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What you say couldn't be more wrong. From the Encyclopedia Britannica:

Natural history » Behaviour » Instincts

The insect orients itself by responding to the stimuli it receives. Formerly, insect behaviour was described as a series of movements in response to stimuli. That hypothesis has been supplanted by one that holds that the insect has a central nervous system with built-in patterns of behaviour or instincts that can be triggered by environmental stimuli. These responses are modified by the insect’s internal state, which has been affected by preceding stimuli. Patterns of behaviour range from comparatively simple reflex responses (e.g., the avoidance of adverse stimuli, the grasping of a rough surface on contact with the claws) to elaborate behavioral sequences (e.g., searching for mates, courtship, mating, and locating egg laying sites; hunting, capturing, and eating prey). The highest developments of behaviour, found in social insects such as the ants, bees, and termites, are based on the instinct principle.
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As far as determining the most successful animal on Earth? No contest. What animal could be found on anyplace on Earth except the extreme depths of the oceans. What animal can create an environment that is totally devoid of other life than that which is contained within himself? What animal can escape the boundries of Earth and travel to another planetary body? What animal is the most adaptive to the most extremes of physical surroundings?
I can guarantee it isn't crabs or ants.