Ants are insects that live all over the world and are one of the most successful groups of insects who live in organized colonies. Scientists estimate that ants have been living on the earth for more than 100 million years. Most ants are omnivores and eat fruit, seeds, other insects and honeydew. Ants have an average lifespan of 45-60 days but some worker and queen ants live longer. Ants are normally 2- 7mm long with 6 legs and each leg has 3 joints. Ants can lift as much as 20 times their own body weight.
The brain of the ant has about 250,000 brain cells, which is the largest among all the insects. As compared to humans with 10,000 million brain cells, a colony of 40,000 ants is same as a human The combined weight of all the ants in the world is approximately same or greater than the combined weight of all human beings.
Ant’s colonies consist of males, females and workers. These colonies have several million ants. When these colonies become too large, winged males and females fly to a new location and start a colony. The male and female ants mate in flight. The queen ant after laying eggs and starting the colony sheds her wings. The life span of a male ant is smaller than that of a female ant. A queen ant mates once and uses this sperm for years to produce thousands of offspring.
Ant colonies have elaborate social structures in which various activities are divided among different ants. Depending on the kind of work that these do, they appear in different shades of green, blue, purple and yellow. A yellow ant focuses on cleaning while the orange ant takes care of young ants and the new eggs produced by the queen ant. Ants keep their nest very clean and have special chambers for garbage and dead ants. The queen ant lives for many years and produces a chemical that workers lick from her body informing that the queen is healthy.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
Army Ants
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Army ants are a specific variety of ants whose size ranges between 3 mm-12mm. They have long pointed mandibles (lower jaw), long legs and an elongated body. The color of army ants ranges from deep golden to dull brown. Army ants find nests, develop a...
-
Types Of Ants
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Ants are found all over the world, from the hottest deserts to the lush green rainforests. We can find them in our backyards, in our homes, and even in our workplaces. Ants live in colonies and a single colony may have over a million ants....
-
Ant Control: Tips and Principles
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
There are two categories of ants, one that lives inside the house and the ones that make their nests outside the house. Ant control is a difficult process and different strategies are used for different types of ants. Effective controlling of ants starts with the...
-
Marching Ants
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Marching ant effect is an animated technique in Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro or GIMP that is identified by a moving dotted line border along a selected image. Marching ant technique is also known as marquee selection. Since the moving dotted line looks like a number...
-
Basement Insects
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The basement region can be a breeding ground for insects because the area is seldom used and is usually filled with old, used items and other knick-knacks. Cracks and gaps in the foundation and walls, along with the dampness, allow insects to survive in the...
-
Types of Crickets
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Crickets are insects that belong to the order Orthoptera and the class Insecta. Crickets are an important part of the ecosystem since they help in the breakdown of plant material. They are also an important source of food for other animals like small owls, spiders,...
-
Flower Seed
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Flowers have been grown and nurtured over years for personal and business purposes. A flower provides visual bliss in addition to a soothing aroma and an array of delightful colors. One can give cut flowers as gifts to celebrate events, express feelings or just grow...
-
Ticks
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Ticks constitute a menace that can cause debilitating diseases in humans and animals. Ticks are not insects, but arachnids. They belong to the same family as mites, spiders, and scorpions. Although they thrive in warm regions, they stay away from direct sunlight. They are parasitic...
-
Alzheimerx92s Disease
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
If you are wandering what Alzheimer’s Disease is all about, read on to find some basic facts. Dementia is the term for a brain disorder that has a serious effect on a person’s ability to go about his daily activities. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the...
-
Alcoholism Facts
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is a chronic disorder characterized by compulsive, repeated, and excessive consumption of alcohol to the extent that the individual’s health, social and economic functioning is impaired. Alcoholism has four symptoms namely craving, loss of control, physical dependence and tolerance. Craving is...