翻译句子时有个地方不明白，不是被动却用了by

这里by far是一个短语。意思是远远超越。
outstrip的宾语是anything achieved by our distant ancestors。
所以翻译成蚂蚁远远超越了人类的祖先

by /baɪ/ DJ /baɪ/ KK
preposition
near sb/sth; at the side of sb/sth; beside sb/sth 靠近；在…旁边
a house by the river 河边的一所房子
The telephone is by the window. 电话在窗户旁边。
Come and sit by me. 过来挨着我坐。
used, usually after a passive verb, to show who or what does, creates or causes sth （常置于表被动的动词后，表示使为者）
He was knocked down by a bus. 他被公共汽车撞倒了。
a play by Ibsen 易卜生写的剧本
Who's that book by? 谁是那本书的作者？
I was frightened by the noise. 我被那响声吓坏了。
used for showing how or in what way sth is done （表示方式）
The house is heated by gas. 这房子是煤气供暖的。
May I pay by cheque? 我能用支票付款吗？
I will contact you by letter. 我会给你写信联系的。
to travel by boat/bus/car/plane 乘船╱公共汽车╱轿车╱飞机
to travel by air/land/sea 坐飞机；经陆路／海路
Switch it on by pressing this button. 按下这个开关启动它。
used before particular nouns wit