Basic Ant Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Apocrita
Superfamily: Vespoidea
Family: Formicidae
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Apocrita
Superfamily: Vespoidea
Family: Formicidae
Ants are segmented animals that have 3 main parts, the head, mesosoma, and the gaster. Anatomic differences exist between different workers of the same species often. The diagram to the left highlights a few of these differences. They occur because workers provide different services to the colony, such as a defensive soldier, scout, or nanny to young ants. Soldiers have an enlarged head and mandible and are often equipped with a stinger, or spray formic acid to deter predators. (4)
Life Cycle of the Ant
Life starts out for an ant as a small egg in a safe chamber of the colony, where it is attended by minor workers. Not all eggs will complete their life cycle because some are intended to be emergency or supplemental food stores. It hatches into a blob-like larvae with no identifying characteristics such as legs or eyes. As a larvae, the ant draws upon genetic information that tells it to form a large head or to become male or female. This genetic variation usually occurs only when the colony has reached a considerable, sustainable size. When desired genetic characteristics have completely formed, the larvae emerges as a pupae. At this point, the ant looks more or less like a fully formed adult, but its legs and antennae are inactive. During this phase the ant finishes internal development and gains color and strength. Adults emerge from pupae as fully grown, functioning members of the colony. Below is a short video on the life cycle. (4)
Fun Fact: Did you know most ant colonies are entirely female? The queen produces a hormone that inhibits the formation of males until the desired time.
Life starts out for an ant as a small egg in a safe chamber of the colony, where it is attended by minor workers. Not all eggs will complete their life cycle because some are intended to be emergency or supplemental food stores. It hatches into a blob-like larvae with no identifying characteristics such as legs or eyes. As a larvae, the ant draws upon genetic information that tells it to form a large head or to become male or female. This genetic variation usually occurs only when the colony has reached a considerable, sustainable size. When desired genetic characteristics have completely formed, the larvae emerges as a pupae. At this point, the ant looks more or less like a fully formed adult, but its legs and antennae are inactive. During this phase the ant finishes internal development and gains color and strength. Adults emerge from pupae as fully grown, functioning members of the colony. Below is a short video on the life cycle. (4)
Fun Fact: Did you know most ant colonies are entirely female? The queen produces a hormone that inhibits the formation of males until the desired time.
How Ants Work
Ants are extremely busy creatures who play the role of architect, soldier, farmer, excavator, factory worker, hunter, and scavanger. They are extremely adaptable animals that have proven capable of living in the harshest environments that one would not expect life to flourish in. The silver ant (pictured at the top of the page) lives in the deserts of Africa and can withstand temperatures which would be fatal to many other species. The army ant species found in South America are nomadic farmers that move from one swatch of the forest to the other, only after depleting the food source in that certain area. Ants are also capable of lifting many times their own body weight. Leaf cutter ants are the farmers of the ant world who use their strong mandibles to cut pieces of vegetation and carry them back to the colony. The vegetation its self is not consumed by the ant, instead it is used as substrate to cultivate a special type of fungus which is then ingested. Many species of fungus exist only within the confines of a single colony of ants and have a symbiotic relationship with them. (5)
Ants use their mandibles as we use our hands, to manipulate the world around them, carry food, excavate colonies, defense, and grooming themselves and others. They do not use their legs for anything other than walking. They find their way around by laying down pheromone trails which other ants interpret using their antennae to "read" directions. (3)
Ants are extremely busy creatures who play the role of architect, soldier, farmer, excavator, factory worker, hunter, and scavanger. They are extremely adaptable animals that have proven capable of living in the harshest environments that one would not expect life to flourish in. The silver ant (pictured at the top of the page) lives in the deserts of Africa and can withstand temperatures which would be fatal to many other species. The army ant species found in South America are nomadic farmers that move from one swatch of the forest to the other, only after depleting the food source in that certain area. Ants are also capable of lifting many times their own body weight. Leaf cutter ants are the farmers of the ant world who use their strong mandibles to cut pieces of vegetation and carry them back to the colony. The vegetation its self is not consumed by the ant, instead it is used as substrate to cultivate a special type of fungus which is then ingested. Many species of fungus exist only within the confines of a single colony of ants and have a symbiotic relationship with them. (5)
Ants use their mandibles as we use our hands, to manipulate the world around them, carry food, excavate colonies, defense, and grooming themselves and others. They do not use their legs for anything other than walking. They find their way around by laying down pheromone trails which other ants interpret using their antennae to "read" directions. (3)