One of the pests that are most often seen in homes and workplaces are ants. More than 10,000 different ant species have been identified, and entomologists and other scientists continuously research them. Ants are really intriguing animals. Don’t trust us? Here are 10 ant-related facts that will surely make you think twice!
First fact: Colonies are larger than your typical ant farm.
Ant colonies exist in a huge variety of sizes and forms. A typical ant colony has thousands of individual ants; however, a few species may have colonies of a few hundred. While bigger colonies build enormous nests and search for supplies and food, smaller colonies dwell in natural holes or fissures. There are other supercities all around the globe that have a population of up to 300 million people. These giant colonies have been found in southern Europe, the United States, Australia, and Japan.
Second fact: Ants do certain tasks.
Because they are highly sociable creatures, the many species of ants in one colony share tasks. The sole duty of the queen or queens is to lay eggs. The remaining female ants are all workers; they tend to the larvae, remove waste from the colony, hunt for food and resources, or protect the nest. The only purpose of male ants is to mate with the queen.
Third fact: Ants lack ears.
Ants “hear” by sensing ground vibrations rather than using their auditory canals. Ants use specialised sensors on their knees and feet to decipher information from their environment. While scavenging for food, they also utilise their antennae and body hair to feel about.
Fourth fact: One ant species only has females.
Males of the species M. smithii have not yet been discovered. All queen ant children are replicas of the queen since the queen ant reproduces. The majority of South American nations as well as some Central American nations include this species.
Fifth fact: Ants may turn into zombies.
The most bizarre ant fact is probably that there is a certain kind of fungus that attacks ants then takes over their body. The fungus penetrates the ant’s exoskeleton and starts to eat away at soft tissue. Soon after, it prompts the ant to abandon its colony by unidentified processes. The ant then locates a leaf, uses a “death grip” to bite it, and dies. The fungi produce seeds some few days later to contaminate other ants. Many ant groups have developed the ability to identify diseased colony members and would transport them far away in order to safeguard the colony as a whole.
Sixth fact: Ants have a lifting capacity of 10 to 50 times their own weight.
Ants’ muscles are thicker in relation to their body mass than those of bigger animals because they are smaller. As a result, ants can carry items that are considerably heavier and larger than they are. To put that into contrast, a 200-pound guy could raise a tiny automobile over his skull if humans could move objects ten times heavier than themselves.
Seventh fact: A few ants are homeless.
Not all types of ants construct nests. Army ants are a group of roughly 200 species that go through two stages of life: nomad and sedentary. The ants roam throughout the day during the nomad phase of the colony, attacking neighbouring colonies and insects they come across in search of food. They create a temporary nest at night and continue to move the following morning. The only moment they cease moving is when the population is in its immobile phase, waiting for the eggs to mature after the queen has laid them. To safeguard the queen, the nutrition, and the larvae during this period, the working ants construct a nest from their own skins.
Eighth fact: On Earth, ants may be found (nearly) everywhere.
Except for Antarctica, every region on Earth has ants. Some islands, like Greenland, don’t have any native species of ants, but individuals have been transported there by humans. Only human population density is greater than that of ants. Amazingly good for such small fellows!
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