Ants
Ants are arthropods. They live in nests or colonies, with different ants having different roles (castes). Some species have little coordination between their members, whereas others have highly coordinated colonies with all groups working towards the same goal. This social interaction is possible because ants are able to communicate with each other, using their antennae and chemical signals they produce. For example, they can identify intruders.
The worker ants perform all of the work for the colony, including searching for food, nursing the young, constructing the nest and defending the colony. Worker ants are sterile females—generally all sisters.
The males play no role in the colony apart from mating with the future queens. They have wings and copulate with the future queens while flying (the mating flight). They die soon after.
The queen is larger than the worker ants and much larger than the males. She lays all the eggs for the colony. She can lay unfertilised eggs (which develop into males) or fertilised eggs (which develop into females). The fertilised eggs that are fed an average amount of food develop into sterile female workers. Those that are well nourished develop into fertile females.
The fertile females have wings, ready to take flight. They mate with the winged males during a mating flight and acquire a stock of sperm. They then establish a colony as a new queen and lose their wings.
The worker ants perform all of the work for the colony, including searching for food, nursing the young, constructing the nest and defending the colony. Worker ants are sterile females—generally all sisters.
The males play no role in the colony apart from mating with the future queens. They have wings and copulate with the future queens while flying (the mating flight). They die soon after.
The queen is larger than the worker ants and much larger than the males. She lays all the eggs for the colony. She can lay unfertilised eggs (which develop into males) or fertilised eggs (which develop into females). The fertilised eggs that are fed an average amount of food develop into sterile female workers. Those that are well nourished develop into fertile females.
The fertile females have wings, ready to take flight. They mate with the winged males during a mating flight and acquire a stock of sperm. They then establish a colony as a new queen and lose their wings.
How they moveAdult ants have their skeleton on the ‘outside’—a hard exoskeleton that gives shape to their soft body and provides a structure for their muscles to pull against. They walk on all six legs. They use parts of their jaw—the mandibles—to carry things. The mandibles have many different, specialised shapes depending on the type of ant and its caste. Mandibles can be used to transport food (and sometimes even drops of water), to construct things and to defend the colony.
How they eatForager ants are the worker ants that look for food. They use their compound eyes (eyes made of hundreds of light-sensitive compartments) to look for food. The most important organs for perception—for the senses of touch and smell—are the antennae. When you observe an active ant, its antennae are in almost constant motion: tapping the ground, vegetation, other ants and food sources or ‘smelling’ the air.
Ants can collect food by:
Ants find their way to sources of food by laying down chemicals called pheromones on the ground. Ants use their antennae to follow the scent trail. The pheromones are more concentrated the closer the trail gets to the nest, so the ants know if they are heading towards the food or away from it. The pheromones disappear gradually when the trail is no longer used.
How they eatForager ants are the worker ants that look for food. They use their compound eyes (eyes made of hundreds of light-sensitive compartments) to look for food. The most important organs for perception—for the senses of touch and smell—are the antennae. When you observe an active ant, its antennae are in almost constant motion: tapping the ground, vegetation, other ants and food sources or ‘smelling’ the air.
Ants can collect food by:
- foraging for plant material
- feeding on dead animals
- hunting insects
- ‘farming’ aphids and other animals that produce honeydew
- cultivating mushrooms by feeding them leaf litter.
Ants find their way to sources of food by laying down chemicals called pheromones on the ground. Ants use their antennae to follow the scent trail. The pheromones are more concentrated the closer the trail gets to the nest, so the ants know if they are heading towards the food or away from it. The pheromones disappear gradually when the trail is no longer used.
- How many body parts does the ant have?
- How many legs?
- Where are the legs attached?
- How long are its antennae compared to its body?
- What do ants use their antennae for?
- How do ants eat?
- How do ants carry their food?
- Where do ants usually live (their habitat)?
- How do the parts of the ant help it live in its habitat?
- How do ants find food and water in their habitat?
- How do ants protect themselves from drying out?
- How do ants protect themselves from being eaten?