Search results
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified.
4 days ago · ant, (family Formicidae), any of approximately 10,000 species of insects that are social in habit and live together in organized colonies. Ants occur worldwide but are most numerous, both in numbers and in species, in tropical and subtropical regions.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- What Are Ants?
- Appearance
- Diet and Behavior
- Unusual Ants
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
Ants are common insects, but they have some unique capabilities—including their legendary communication skills that allow their colonies to function as superorganisms. There are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth—that’s 2.5 million ants for every human. Known ant species (members of the family Formicidae) number over 12,000, and some experts estimate upw...
Ants range in size from the miniscule up to one inch long, and usually appear black, brown, red, or yellow. Ants look much like termites, and the two are often confused. Ants can be identified by their elbowed antennae, and narrow "waist" between the abdomen and thorax. Some ants have wings, which are longer in the front and shorter by their hind l...
Enthusiastically social insects, ants typically live in structured nest communities that may be located underground, in ground-level mounds, or in trees. Carpenter ants, which include more than a thousand species in the genus Camponotus, nest in wood and can be destructive to buildings. (Much like termites, which cause far more severedamage.) Some ...
Within the many thousands of known ant species, there are many that fill unique ecological roles, resulting in the development of special physical characteristics and interesting behavior. For example, ants have a variety of biological defenses. Fire ants bite and sting with a venom called solenopsin. They can also survive floods by clumping togeth...
Learn about the diversity, behavior, and ecology of ants, the most abundant insects on Earth. Find out how ants communicate, cooperate, defend, and adapt to different environments and threats.
- 1 min
Mar 9, 2022 · Ant identification is by their color, size, and body shape. Ants have three pairs of legs and three identifiable body parts — the head, thorax, and abdomen. Some ants have large, bulbous heads and abdomens with a thin thorax. The common names of some ants describe their appearance and habits.
May 27, 2024 · Learn about ant, a small-sized invertebrate with more than 12,000 species worldwide. Discover their evolution, behavior, diet, habitat, and interesting features such as super colonies, stinging, and honey pots.
- Female
- December 27, 1990
- Freelancer SEO Writer & Graphic Designer
Singapore has the largest ant diversity in the world, according to a new study conducted by scientists from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) under the NUS Faculty of Science, and their collaborators from Hong Kong and Japan.
Jan 9, 2024 · Learn about different types of ants, where they live, how to identify them, and how to get rid of them. Find out how ants benefit the environment, what health risks they pose, and how to prevent infestation.
