Ant Activities
Ants are insects whose bodies are made up of three sections: head, thorax, and gaster. Ants live socially in colonies, where female worker ants serve one or two queens that live deep within a nest. Most ants are dark- or earth-colored, giving them camouflage that protects them from predators. There are many different types of ants, with different anatomy, life cycles, habitats, and feeding patterns; however, most ants share a few commonalities.
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Birth of a Colony
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Ants live in colonies, which in turn can produce new colonies. Ants are instinctively driven to branch off from their original colony so that their species might expand. Occasionally, a new batch of ants, including female workers, males, and queens hatch with wings. The queen is larger than the males, but without the pincers that these small insects possess. Even without pincers, however, all ants have strong jaws, and many species bite. The queen and the males fly to the location where the new colony will be established. The males then mate with the queen, and rapidly die. The queen sheds her wings, never to fly again. Female worker ants, which resemble the queen but are smaller, begin building the new nest.
Egg Laying and Growth
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Safe in the nest, the new queen lays her eggs, which hatch to reveal white larvae grubs. As the larvae grow, they become pupae, the adolescent ant. Pupae resemble adult ants, but they are white, and they lack fully developed legs and antennae. Some ant species go through the pupal stage inside a cocoon spun by the larvae. New adult ants are lighter in color than their elders for several days before reaching maturity.
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Feeding
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To fuel their diet of protein and carbohydrates, ants eat many smaller insects, such as mites or gnats. They both capture living prey and scavenge dead insects. They also eat nectar from plants and drink dew. The queen eats a diet especially rich in protein so that she can produce healthy eggs. Worker ants bring the queen a larger number of insects than they themselves consume.
Nesting and Habitat
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Although tiny, ants build complex and highly functional societies. Some ants nest in wood, and others live inside plants. However the most common habitat for an ant colony is within the soil. Anthills are among these terrestrial dwellings, and are composed of a protective heap that indicates deep tunnels that lead to the queen's nest. Anthills are raised above the surface of the ground to prevent water from flooding the nest during rain. Sometimes, these hills rise into tall mounds.
Defense From Predators
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Ants are low on the food chain. They are a common meal for frogs, toads, lizards, spiders, larger insects, bats and birds. In some cultures, people consider ants a delicacy. Sheltered nests allow ants to protect their queen from predators, sacrificing expendable and plentiful worker ants that are often devoured during their daily foraging.
Social Behavior
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Ants create impressive families and societies. Worker ants feed and bathe larvae, much like more advanced organisms caring for their young. Ants also have a complex communication system, sounding the alarm to warn others of danger, and alerting comrades when they discover food. This occurs through the release of chemical signals, containing directions that other ants perceive and follow.
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