Ant - Knowledge

2766:, sounds, and touch. Since most ants live on the ground, they use the soil surface to leave pheromone trails that may be followed by other ants. In species that forage in groups, a forager that finds food marks a trail on the way back to the colony; this trail is followed by other ants, these ants then reinforce the trail when they head back with food to the colony. When the food source is exhausted, no new trails are marked by returning ants and the scent slowly dissipates. This behaviour helps ants deal with changes in their environment. For instance, when an established path to a food source is blocked by an obstacle, the foragers leave the path to explore new routes. If an ant is successful, it leaves a new trail marking the shortest route on its return. Successful trails are followed by more ants, reinforcing better routes and gradually identifying the best path. 4609:. Some ants will raid stored food, some will seek water sources, others may damage indoor structures, some may damage agricultural crops directly or by aiding sucking pests. Some will sting or bite. The adaptive nature of ant colonies make it nearly impossible to eliminate entire colonies and most pest management practices aim to control local populations and tend to be temporary solutions. Ant populations are managed by a combination of approaches that make use of chemical, biological, and physical methods. Chemical methods include the use of insecticidal bait which is gathered by ants as food and brought back to the nest where the poison is inadvertently spread to other colony members through 4729: 3425: 2671: 3574: 2356: 3532: 2469: 2084: 3908: 2724: 3478: 140: 4399: 4118: 3111: 3225: 4557: 2828: 3728: 2202: 2699:

monodomous) colonies have food and workers moving between the nests. Membership to a colony is identified by the response of worker ants which identify whether another individual belongs to their own colony or not. A signature cocktail of body surface chemicals (also known as cuticular hydrocarbons or CHCs) forms the so-called colony odor which other members can recognize. Some ant species appear to be less discriminating and in the Argentine ant

4261: 4063: 2900: 4805: 4391: 3630:. The sugars in honeydew are a high-energy food source, which many ant species collect. In some cases, the aphids secrete the honeydew in response to ants tapping them with their antennae. The ants in turn keep predators away from the aphids and will move them from one feeding location to another. When migrating to a new area, many colonies will take the aphids with them, to ensure a continued supply of honeydew. Ants also tend 16592: 2738: 3160: 1721: 4636: 120: 2584: 3021: 3924: 3237:, among other ant species, constructs nests that maintain a relatively constant interior temperature that aids in the development of larvae. The ants maintain the nest temperature by choosing the location, nest materials, controlling ventilation and maintaining the heat from solar radiation, worker activity and metabolism, and in some moist nests, microbial activity in the nest materials. 3320: 2601:. Secretions from the male accessory glands in some species can plug the female genital opening and prevent females from re-mating. Most ant species have a system in which only the queen and breeding females have the ability to mate. Contrary to popular belief, some ant nests have multiple queens, while others may exist without queens. Workers with the ability to reproduce are called " 3256: 3949: 2372:. Although formally known as dinergates, such individuals are sometimes called "soldier" ants because their stronger mandibles make them more effective in fighting, although they still are workers and their "duties" typically do not vary greatly from the minor or median workers. In a few species, the median workers are absent, creating a sharp divide between the minors and majors. 3740: 2679:

drones. The first workers to hatch, known as nanitics, are weaker and smaller than later workers but they begin to serve the colony immediately. They enlarge the nest, forage for food, and care for the other eggs. Species that have multiple queens may have a queen leaving the nest along with some workers to found a colony at a new site, a process akin to

2639:. The nuptial flight usually takes place in the late spring or early summer when the weather is hot and humid. Heat makes flying easier and freshly fallen rain makes the ground softer for mated queens to dig nests. Males typically take flight before the females. Males then use visual cues to find a common mating ground, for example, a landmark such as a 3589: 3652:(e.g., blues, coppers, or hairstreaks) are herded by the ants, led to feeding areas in the daytime, and brought inside the ants' nest at night. The caterpillars have a gland which secretes honeydew when the ants massage them. Some caterpillars produce vibrations and sounds that are perceived by the ants. A similar adaptation can be seen in 3857:(Rubiaceae) which produce large domatia inside which the ant colonies nest. The ants plant the seeds and the domatia of young seedling are immediately occupied and the ant faeces in them contribute to rapid growth. Similar dispersal associations are found with other dolichoderines in the region as well. Another example of this type of 3280:, but a few have evolved specialised ways of obtaining nutrition. It is believed that many ant species that engage in indirect herbivory rely on specialized symbiosis with their gut microbes to upgrade the nutritional value of the food they collect and allow them to survive in nitrogen poor regions, such as rainforest canopies. 3301:

fungus. Leafcutter ants are sensitive enough to recognise the reaction of the fungus to different plant material, apparently detecting chemical signals from the fungus. If a particular type of leaf is found to be toxic to the fungus, the colony will no longer collect it. The ants feed on structures produced by the fungi called

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wrote "Beauty, in the case of the green ant, is more than skin-deep. Their attractive, almost sweetmeat-like translucency possibly invited the first essays at their consumption by the human species". Mashed up in water, after the manner of lemon squash, "these ants form a pleasant acid drink which is

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is widespread, and new estimates suggest that nearly 9% of all plant species may have such ant associations. Often, seed-dispersing ants perform directed dispersal, depositing the seeds in locations that increase the likelihood of seed survival to reproduction. Some plants in arid, fire-prone systems

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that grows only within their colonies. They continually collect leaves which are taken to the colony, cut into tiny pieces and placed in fungal gardens. Ergates specialise in related tasks according to their sizes. The largest ants cut stalks, smaller workers chew the leaves and the smallest tend the

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workers carried from a colony anywhere in the southern US and Mexico are acceptable within other colonies in the same region. Similarly workers from colonies that have established in Europe are accepted by any other colonies within Europe but not by the colonies in the Americas. The interpretation of

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the nest entrance is closed from the outside to protect the colony from predatory ant species at sunset each day. About one to eight workers seal the nest entrance from the outside and they have no chance of returning to the nest and are in effect sacrificed. Whether these seemingly suicidal workers

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may be formed by one or two nodes (the second alone, or the second and third abdominal segments). Tergosternal fusion, when the tergite and sternite of a segment fuse together, can occur partly or fully on the second, third and fourth abdominal segment and is used in identification. Fourth abdominal

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suggest that an individual may choose nest roles based on her previous experience. An entire generation of identical workers was divided into two groups whose outcome in food foraging was controlled. One group was continually rewarded with prey, while it was made certain that the other failed. As a

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Some ant species are considered as pests, primarily those that occur in human habitations, where their presence is often problematic. For example, the presence of ants would be undesirable in sterile places such as hospitals or kitchens. Some species or genera commonly categorized as pests include

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associations with a range of species, including other ant species, other insects, plants, and fungi. They also are preyed on by many animals and even certain fungi. Some arthropod species spend part of their lives within ant nests, either preying on ants, their larvae, and eggs, consuming the food

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Complex nests are built by many ant species, but other species are nomadic and do not build permanent structures. Ants may form subterranean nests or build them on trees. These nests may be found in the ground, under stones or logs, inside logs, hollow stems, or even acorns. The materials used for

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Ant colonies can be long-lived. The queens can live for up to 30 years, and workers live from 1 to 3 years. Males, however, are more transitory, being quite short-lived and surviving for only a few weeks. Ant queens are estimated to live 100 times as long as solitary insects of a similar

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race. More careful estimates made in 2022 which take into account regional variations puts the global ant contribution at 12 megatons of dry carbon, which is about 20% of the total human contribution, but greater than that of the wild birds and mammals combined. This study also puts a conservative

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Mated females then seek a suitable place to begin a colony. There, they break off their wings using their tibial spurs and begin to lay and care for eggs. The females can selectively fertilise future eggs with the sperm stored to produce diploid workers or lay unfertilized haploid eggs to produce

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to which other males in the area converge. Males secrete a mating pheromone that females follow. Males will mount females in the air, but the actual mating process usually takes place on the ground. Females of some species mate with just one male but in others they may mate with as many as ten or

4306:. The wound is pressed together and ants are applied along it. The ant seizes the edges of the wound in its mandibles and locks in place. The body is then cut off and the head and mandibles remain in place to close the wound. The large heads of the dinergates (soldiers) of the leafcutting ant 3801:

with the flowers, transferring pollen in the process. One theory that has been proposed for the rarity of pollination is that the secretions of the metapleural gland inactivate and reduce the viability of pollen. Some plants, mostly angiosperms but also some ferns, have special nectar exuding

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butterflies that emit vibrations by expanding their wings in order to communicate with ants, which are natural predators of these butterflies. Other caterpillars have evolved from ant-loving to ant-eating: these myrmecophagous caterpillars secrete a pheromone that makes the ants act as if the

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The typical ant species has a colony occupying a single nest, housing one or more queens, where the brood is raised. There are however more than 150 species of ants in 49 genera that are known to have colonies consisting of multiple spatially separated nests. These polydomous (as opposed to

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hosts. This form of parasitism is seen across many ant genera, but the parasitic ant is usually a species that is closely related to its host. A variety of methods are employed to enter the nest of the host ant. A parasitic queen may enter the host nest before the first brood has hatched,

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A new ergate spends the first few days of its adult life caring for the queen and young. She then graduates to digging and other nest work, and later to defending the nest and foraging. These changes are sometimes fairly sudden, and define what are called temporal castes. Such age-based

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The female worker ants do not have wings and reproductive females lose their wings after their mating flights in order to begin their colonies. Therefore, unlike their wasp ancestors, most ants travel by walking. Some species are capable of leaping. For example, Jerdon's jumping ant

467:. Typical colonies consist of various castes of sterile, wingless females, most of which are workers (ergates), as well as soldiers (dinergates) and other specialised groups. Nearly all ant colonies also have some fertile males called "drones" and one or more fertile females called " 2745: 3928: 3927: 3953: 3931: 3930: 3926: 3952: 2538:

by the developmental environment are complex and the determination of caste continues to be a subject of research. Winged male ants, called drones (termed "aner" in old literature), emerge from pupae along with the usually winged breeding females. Some species, such as

3957: 3955: 3951: 1999:, but a few are specialist feeders. There is considerable variation in ant abundance across habitats, peaking in the moist tropics to nearly six times that found in less suitable habitats. Their ecological dominance has been examined primarily using estimates of their 3889:, that are sought after by ants as food. Ants can substantially alter rate of decomposition and nutrient cycling in their nest. By myrmecochory and modification of soil conditions they substantially alter vegetation and nutrient cycling in surrounding ecosystem. 3932: 3516:

of a species is seen in some species of ants with these reproducers apparently competing to produce offspring that are as closely related to them as possible. The most extreme form involves the production of clonal offspring. An extreme of sexual conflict is seen in

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spp.) workers build nests in trees by attaching leaves together, first pulling them together with bridges of workers and then inducing their larvae to produce silk as they are moved along the leaf edges. Similar forms of nest construction are seen in some species of

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result, members of the successful group intensified their foraging attempts while the unsuccessful group ventured out fewer and fewer times. A month later, the successful foragers continued in their role while the others had moved to specialise in brood care.

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Although most ants survive attempts by humans to eradicate them, a few are highly endangered. These tend to be island species that have evolved specialized traits and risk being displaced by introduced ant species. Examples include the critically endangered

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In the colonies of a few ant species, there are physical castes—workers in distinct size-classes, called minor (micrergates), median, and major ergates (macrergates). Often, the larger ants have disproportionately larger heads, and correspondingly stronger

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Other species of ants can form chains to bridge gaps over water, underground, or through spaces in vegetation. Some species also form floating rafts that help them survive floods. These rafts may also have a role in allowing ants to colonise islands.

3748: 3595: 3594: 3592: 3591: 13625:"Description of an injury in a human caused by a false tocandira (Dinoponera gigantea, Perty, 1833) with a revision on folkloric, pharmacological and clinical aspects of the giant ants of the genera Paraponera and Dinoponera (sub-family Ponerinae)" 9484:

Frank, Erik. T.; Kesner, Lucie; Liberti, Joanito; Helleu, Quentin; LeBoeuf, Adria C.; Dascalu, Andrei; Sponsler, Douglas B.; Azuma, Fumika; Economo, Evan P.; Waridel, Patrice; Engel, Philipp; Schmitt, Thomas; Keller, Laurent (29 December 2023).

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that range in size from a few dozen individuals often living in small natural cavities to highly organised colonies that may occupy large territories with sizeable nest that consist of millions of individuals or into the hundreds of millions in

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Some ant species, such as those that use natural cavities, can be opportunistic and make use of the controlled micro-climate provided inside human dwellings and other artificial structures to house their colonies and nest structures.

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is said to have heard and understood an ant warning other ants to return home to avoid being accidentally crushed by Sulayman and his marching army., In parts of Africa, ants are considered to be the messengers of the deities. Some

4110:) causes the black-coloured gasters of workers to turn red. The parasite also alters the behaviour of the ant, causing them to carry their gasters high. The conspicuous red gasters are mistaken by birds for ripe fruits, such as 3359:

this information to find the shortest route back to their nest. Like all ants, they can also make use of visual landmarks when available as well as olfactory and tactile cues to navigate. Some species of ant are able to use the

3745: 3032:. Secretions from the metapleural gland, unique to the ants, produce a complex range of chemicals including several with antibiotic properties. Some worker ants maintain the hygiene of the colony and their activities include 3509:

establishing herself prior to development of a colony scent. Other species use pheromones to confuse the host ants or to trick them into carrying the parasitic queen into the nest. Some simply fight their way into the nest.

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to eject intruders or fling themselves backward to escape a threat. Before striking, the ant opens its mandibles extremely widely and locks them in this position by an internal mechanism. Energy is stored in a thick band of

3523:, where the queens produce diploid daughters by thelytokous parthenogenesis and males produce clones by a process whereby a diploid egg loses its maternal contribution to produce haploid males who are clones of the father. 2551:

has been suggested as having evolved due to the high casualties involved in foraging and defence, making it an acceptable risk only for ants who are older and likely to die sooner from natural causes. In the Brazilian ant

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have species with both winged and wingless males, where the latter will only mate with females living in the same nest. Some species in the genus have lost winged males completely, and only produce wingless males. In

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Anderson KE, Russell JA, Moreau CS, Kautz S, Sullam KE, Hu Y, Basinger U, Mott BM, Buck N, Wheeler DE (May 2012). "Highly similar microbial communities are shared among related and trophically similar ant species".

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were popular educational children's toys in the United States. Some later commercial versions use transparent gel instead of soil, allowing greater visibility at the cost of stressing the ants with unnatural light.

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back to around 92 million years ago, has features found in some wasps, but not found in modern ants. The oldest fossils of ants date to the mid-Cretaceous, around 100 million years ago, which belong to extinct

3495:-laced secretions that coat their exoskeletons. If an ant is separated from its original colony, it will eventually lose the colony scent. Any ant that enters a colony without a matching scent will be attacked. 2287:, used to carry food, manipulate objects, construct nests, and for defence. In some species, a small pocket (infrabuccal chamber) inside the mouth stores food, so it may be passed to other ants or their larvae. 3395:; this may be a common trait among arboreal ants with small colonies. Ants with this ability are able to control their horizontal movement so as to catch tree trunks when they fall from atop the forest canopy. 3135:. The follower obtains knowledge through its leading tutor. The leader is acutely sensitive to the progress of the follower and slows down when the follower lags and speeds up when the follower gets too close. 5800: 5730: 2769:

Ants use pheromones for more than just making trails. A crushed ant emits an alarm pheromone that sends nearby ants into an attack frenzy and attracts more ants from farther away. Several ant species even use

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translates the verse as following: till, when they came upon a valley of ants, and an ant exclaimed: "O you ants! Get into your dwellings, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you without being aware ! (27:18)"

12802: 4354:), a plant used to make a herbal tea. The plant disperses its seeds widely, making manual collection difficult. Black ants collect and store these and other seeds in their nest, where humans can gather them 2666:

workers may transport newly emerged queens to other conspecific nests where the wingless males from unrelated colonies can mate with them, a behavioural adaptation that may reduce the chances of inbreeding.

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coats the pedicel of its nest with an ant-repellent chemical. It is suggested that many tropical wasps may build their nests in trees and cover them to protect themselves from ants. Other wasps, such as

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Observed by humans since the dawn of history, the behaviour of ants has been documented and the subject of early writings and fables passed from one century to another. Those using scientific methods,

2543:, have wingless queens. Larvae and pupae need to be kept at fairly constant temperatures to ensure proper development, and so often are moved around among the various brood chambers within the colony. 1789:). Their representation in the fossil record is poor, in comparison to the populations of other insects, representing only about 1% of fossil evidence of insects in the era. Ants became dominant after 498:

of wild birds and mammals. Their success in so many environments has been attributed to their social organisation and their ability to modify habitats, tap resources, and defend themselves. Their long

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ants travel distances of up to 200 metres (700 ft) from their nest and scent trails allow them to find their way back even in the dark. In hot and arid regions, day-foraging ants face death by

2047: in) long with a wingspan of 15 cm (6 in). Ants vary in colour; most ants are yellow to red or brown to black, but a few species are green and some tropical species have a metallic 3364:

for navigation. The compound eyes of ants have specialised cells that detect polarised light from the Sun, which is used to determine direction. These polarization detectors are sensitive in the

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Greene MJ, Gordon DM (March 2007). "Structural complexity of chemical recognition cues affects the perception of group membership in the ants Linephithema humile and Aphaenogaster cockerelli".

2407:. Usually the largest workers in the colony develop into repletes; and, if repletes are removed from the colony, other workers become repletes, demonstrating the flexibility of this particular 2802:, transferring information within the colony. This allows other ants to detect what task group (e.g., foraging or nest maintenance) other colony members belong to. In ant species with queen 7642:

Tofilski, Adam; Couvillon, Margaret J.; Evison, Sophie E. F.; Helanterä, Heikki; Robinson, Elva J. H.; Ratnieks, Francis L. W. (2008). "Preemptive Defensive Self-Sacrifice by Ant Workers".

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Henderson G, Andersen JF, Phillips JK, Jeanne RL (July 1990). "Internest aggression and identification of possible nestmate discrimination pheromones in polygynous antFormica montana".

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are particularly dependent on ants for their survival and dispersal as the seeds are transported to safety below the ground. Many ant-dispersed seeds have special external structures,

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in ants, workers of a number of species can lay unfertilised eggs that become fully fertile, haploid males. The role of workers may change with their age and in some species, such as

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The successful techniques used by ant colonies have been studied in computer science and robotics to produce distributed and fault-tolerant systems for solving problems, for example

12779: 3925: 2335:(the "abdomen") of the ant houses important internal organs, including those of the reproductive, respiratory (tracheae), and excretory systems. Workers of many species have their 4085:

infect ants. Ants react to their infection by climbing up plants and sinking their mandibles into plant tissue. The fungus kills the ants, grows on their remains, and produces a

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Lengyel S, Gove AD, Latimer AM, Majer JD, Dunn RR (2010). "Convergent evolution of seed dispersal by ants, and phylogeny and biogeography in flowering plants: A global survey".

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is a fundamental characteristic of an organism. Ants have been found to have tiny genomes, with the evolution of genome size suggested to occur through loss and accumulation of

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Carpintero S, Reyes-López J, de Reynac LA (2004). "Impact of human dwellings on the distribution of the exotic Argentine ant: a case study in the Doñana National Park, Spain".

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region of the light spectrum. In some army ant species, a group of foragers who become separated from the main column may sometimes turn back on themselves and form a circular

2411:. This polymorphism in morphology and behaviour of workers initially was thought to be determined by environmental factors such as nutrition and hormones that led to different 4151:) lived much longer than unparasitized workers and had a reduced mortality rate, comparable to that of the queens of the same species, which live for as long as two decades. 3657:

caterpillar is one of their own larvae. The caterpillar is then taken into the ant nest where it feeds on the ant larvae. A number of specialized bacteria have been found as

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organs resembling hairs on the inside of the mandibles. The mandibles also permit slow and fine movements for other tasks. Trap-jaws also are seen in other ponerines such as

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tergosternal fusion was formerly used as character that defined the poneromorph subfamilies, Ponerinae and relatives within their clade, but this is no longer considered a

2055:), with the greatest diversity in the tropics. Taxonomic studies continue to resolve the classification and systematics of ants. Online databases of ant species, including 10370: 4921:

magazine, which describes the life and death of an ant-queen and the rise and fall of her colony, from an ants' point of view. The French neuroanatomist, psychiatrist and

3741: 2616:. If recognized as a mate, it will be carried to the queen to mate. Males may also patrol the nest and fight others by grabbing them with their mandibles, piercing their 2153:, an external covering that provides a protective casing around the body and a point of attachment for muscles, in contrast to the internal skeletons of humans and other 844:. However, since Apoidea is a superfamily, ants must be upgraded to the same rank. A more detailed basic taxonomy was proposed in 2020. Three species of the extinct mid- 3085:

workers have been found to amputate the affected legs of nestmates when the femur is injured. A femur injury carries a greater risk of infection unlike a tibia injury.

3590: 3451:, but their social behaviour is poorly developed compared to other species. Each individual hunts alone, using her large eyes instead of chemical senses to find prey. 537:

agents. Their ability to exploit resources may bring ants into conflict with humans, however, as they can damage crops and invade buildings. Some species, such as the

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Peakall R, Beattie AJ, James SH (October 1987). "Pseudocopulation of an orchid by male ants: a test of two hypotheses accounting for the rarity of ant pollination".

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have long been an inspiration and subject of study. Many human cultures make use of ants in cuisine, medication, and rites. Some species are valued in their role as

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Cruz-Labana, J. D.; Tarango-Arámbula, L. A.; Alcántara-Carbajal, J. L.; Pimentel-López, J.; Ugalde-Lezama, S.; Ramírez-Valverde, G.; Méndez-Gallegos, S. J. (2014).

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Advances in ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): homage to E. O. Wilson – 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80

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ants have often been used in fables and children's stories to represent industriousness and cooperative effort. They also are mentioned in religious texts. In the

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will avoid sites with dead ants, as these may indicate the presence of pests or disease. They are quick to abandon established nests at the first sign of threats.

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Pierce NE, Braby MF, Heath A, Lohman DJ, Mathew J, Rand DB, Travassos MA (2002). "The ecology and evolution of ant association in the Lycaenidae (Lepidoptera)".

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Boudinot, Brendon E; Richter, Adrian; Katzke, Julian; Chaul, Júlio C M; Keller, Roberto A; Economo, Evan P; Beutel, Rolf Georg; Yamamoto, Shûhei (29 July 2022).

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López-Riquelme GO, Malo EA, Cruz-López L, Fanjul-Moles ML (2006). "Antennal olfactory sensitivity in response to task-related odours of three castes of the ant

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these observations has been debated and some have been termed these large populations as supercolonies while others have termed the populations as unicolonial.

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Cesard N, Deturche J, Erikson P (2003). "Les Insectes dans les pratiques médicinales et rituelles d'Amazonie indigène". In Motte-Florac E, Thomas JM (eds.).

13837: 13109: 1851:, with sterile workers, but they differ greatly in the genetics of reproduction. The similarity of their social structure to that of ants is attributed to 4938: 4850:

science-fiction trilogy is divided between the worlds of ants and humans; ants and their behaviour are described using contemporary scientific knowledge.

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Roces F, Hölldobler B (1996). "Use of stridulation in foraging leaf-cutting ants: Mechanical support during cutting or short-range recruitment signal?".

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Most ants are predatory and some prey on and obtain food from other social insects including other ants. Some species specialise in preying on termites (

2859:, are considered to have the most painful sting of any insect, although it is usually not fatal to humans. This sting is given the highest rating on the 2597:

A wide range of reproductive strategies have been noted in ant species. Females of many species are known to be capable of reproducing asexually through

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that, as yet, is not fully understood. Here birds rest on ant nests, or pick and drop ants onto their wings and feathers; this may be a means to remove

872:. Fernández et al. (2021) suggest that the common ancestors of ants and apoids within the Formicapoidina probably existed as early as in the end of the 15548: 5042: 2515:. This is also how adults share food, stored in the "social stomach". Larvae, especially in the later stages, may also be provided solid food, such as 15458: 15278: 15221: 2437:), the lowest number known for any animal, making it an interesting subject for studies in the genetics and developmental biology of social insects. 4928:

believed that ant societies were models for human society. He published a five volume work from 1921 to 1923 that examined ant biology and society.

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Dicke E, Byde A, Cliff D, Layzell P (2004). Ispeert AJ, Murata M, Wakamiya N (eds.). "An ant-inspired technique for storage area network design".

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Lubbock J (1881). "Observations on ants, bees, and wasps. IX. Color of flowers as an attraction to bees: Experiments and considerations thereon".

4252:) have been found to feed on ants. About 12%, 16%, and 4% of their faecal volume in spring, summer and autumn, respectively, is composed of ants. 1766:, with modern ant subfamilies appearing towards the end of the Cretaceous around 80–70 million years ago. Ants diversified extensively during the 17020: 15408: 6570: 856: 7834: 4854:

wrote about intelligent ants destroying human settlements in Brazil and threatening human civilization in his 1905 science-fiction short story,

2177:; instead, they have a long, thin, perforated tube along the top of the body (called the "dorsal aorta") that functions like a heart, and pumps 15576: 15538: 15453: 15298: 13469: 13159:

Poinar G, Yanoviak SP (2008). "Myrmeconema neotropicum n. g., n. sp., a new tetradonematid nematode parasitising South American populations of

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trees. Although some ants obtain nectar from flowers, pollination by ants is somewhat rare, one example being of the pollination of the orchid

17059: 15798: 15558: 15523: 15413: 12064:"The devil to pay: a cost of mutualism with Myrmelachista schumanni ants in 'devil's gardens' is increased herbivory on Duroia hirsuta trees" 7547: 11225:

Clay RE, Andersen AN (1996). "Ant fauna of a mangrove community in the Australian seasonal tropics, with particular reference to zonation".

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has led to studies of ant locomotion, search engines that make use of "foraging trails", fault-tolerant storage, and networking algorithms.

4210:. Birds that follow ants eat many prey insects and thus decrease the foraging success of ants. Birds indulge in a peculiar behaviour called 1704:‡ The previous dorylomorph subfamilies – Ecitoninae, Aenictinae, Aenictogitoninae, Cerapachyinae, Leptanilloidinae – were synonymized under 16036: 14211: 14124: 14108:, Guri A, "Habitat media for ants and other invertebrates", issued 8 September 1998, assigned to Plant Cell Technology Inc 11330:"First evidence for slave rebellion: enslaved ant workers systematically kill the brood of their social parasite protomognathus americanus" 1778:, are suggested to have diversified from early primitive ants that were likely to have been predators underneath the surface of the soil. 15581: 8489:"Supercolonies of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): ecological patterns, behavioural processes and their implications for social evolution" 2397:, young workers are fed until their gasters are distended, and act as living food storage vessels. These food storage workers are called 2260:

away. Based on experiments conducted to test their ability differentiate between selected wavelengths of light, some ant species such as

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Proceedings of Biologically Inspired Approaches to Advanced Information Technology: First International Workshop, BioADIT 2004 LNCS 3141

4826:. Some modern authors have used the example of the ants to comment on the relationship between society and the individual. Examples are 3005:

has enlarged mandibular glands that extend into their gaster. If combat takes a turn for the worse, a worker may perform a final act of

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pheromones" to confuse enemy ants and make them fight among themselves. Pheromones are produced by a wide range of structures including

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for living on a diet of ants. These adaptations include long, sticky tongues to capture ants and strong claws to break into ant nests.

4089:. It appears that the fungus alters the behaviour of the ant to help disperse its spores in a microhabitat that best suits the fungus. 8665: 5065:

Moreau CS, Bell CD, Vila R, Archibald SB, Pierce NE (April 2006). "Phylogeny of the ants: diversification in the age of angiosperms".

4114:, and eaten. The droppings of the bird are collected by other ants and fed to their young, leading to further spread of the nematode. 3311:

bacteria on the exterior surface of the ants produce antibiotics that kill bacteria introduced into the nest that may harm the fungi.

1995:

and exploit many different food resources as direct or indirect herbivores, predators and scavengers. Most ant species are omnivorous

5677: 4420:

and can sell for as much as US$ 50 per kg going up to US$ 200 per kg (as of 2006) because they are seasonal and hard to find. In the

2503:

stage before emerging as an adult. The larva is largely immobile and is fed and cared for by workers. Food is given to the larvae by

3200:

of Africa do not build permanent nests, but instead, alternate between nomadism and stages where the workers form a temporary nest (

3092:, an arboreal species that lives in plant hollows, respond to flooding by drinking water inside the nest, and excreting it outside. 17159: 16994: 13461: 8911:

Clarke PS (1986). "The natural history of sensitivity to jack jumper ants (Hymenoptera formicidae Myrmecia pilosula) in Tasmania".

4652:, study ants in the laboratory and in their natural conditions. Their complex and variable social structures have made ants ideal 2567:

Ants are active all year long in the tropics; however, in cooler regions, they survive the winter in a state of dormancy known as

17033: 12162:

Beattie AJ, Turnbull C, R B K, E G W (1984). "Ant Inhibition of Pollen Function: A Possible Reason Why Ant Pollination is Rare".

10329: 9214: 7055: 6812: 5477: 2051:. More than 13,800 species are currently known (with upper estimates of the potential existence of about 22,000; see the article 12837:

Hughes L, Westoby M (1992). "Capitula on stick insect eggs and elaiosomes on seeds: convergent adaptations for burial by ants".

10025:"Thermoregulation strategies in ants in comparison to other social insects, with a focus on red wood ants ( Formica rufa group)" 9652:

Peeters C, Hölldobler B, Moffett M, Musthak Ali TM (1994). ""Wall-papering" and elaborate nest architecture in the ponerine ant

5673:"Evidence for the evolution of eusociality in stem ants and a systematic revision of † Gerontoformica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" 4993:, ant-based species often benefit from increased production rates due to their single-minded focus, such as the Klackons in the 1823:

live in colonies and are sometimes called "white ants", but termites are only distantly related to ants. They are the sub-order

16227: 14441: 7116: 2627:, producing a new generation each year. During the species-specific breeding period, winged females and winged males, known to 2063:, help to keep track of the known and newly described species. The relative ease with which ants may be sampled and studied in 6385:

Schultheiss, Patrick; Nooten, Sabine S.; Wang, Runxi; Wong, Mark K. L.; Brassard, François; Guénard, Benoit (4 October 2022).

2813:, using the gaster segments and their mandibles. Sounds may be used to communicate with colony members or with other species. 16483: 14759: 14670: 14647: 14626: 14599: 14574: 14370: 14006: 13591: 13571: 13542: 12814: 10950: 8728: 7798: 7530: 7505: 6511: 6478: 6284: 5417: 5238: 3838:

studies suggest that plants also obtain nitrogen from the ants. In return, the ants obtain food from protein- and lipid-rich

2390: 17038: 4686:, specially constructed glass framed enclosures. Individuals may be tracked for study by marking them with dots of colours. 4170:

forage in a wide roving column, attacking any animals in that path that are unable to escape. In Central and South America,

2380:

size distribution. Some other species show continuous variation in the size of workers. The smallest and largest workers in

14721: 14168: 11059: 7939:"Reproductive cooperation between queens and their mated workers: the complex life history of an ant with a valuable nest" 4779:, considers ants as the first animals. Ant bites are often said to have curative properties. The sting of some species of 2228:

made from numerous tiny lenses attached together. Ant eyes are good for acute movement detection, but do not offer a high

14500: 13422:

Swenson JE, Jansson A, Riig R, Sandegren R (1999). "Bears and ants: myrmecophagy by brown bears in central Scandinavia".

8946:

Brown SG, Heddle RJ, Wiese MD, Blackman KE (August 2005). "Efficacy of ant venom immunotherapy and whole body extracts".

8841: 3347:

navigate by keeping track of direction as well as distance travelled. Distances travelled are measured using an internal

3088:

Nests may be protected from physical threats such as flooding and overheating by elaborate nest architecture. Workers of

11889:"Surveying the microbiome of ants: comparing 454 pyrosequencing with traditional methods to uncover bacterial diversity" 7098: 6000: 3069:

injured ants are treated by nestmastes with secretions from their metapleural glands which protect them from infection.

11950:"The genome of Rhizobiales bacteria in predatory ants reveals urease gene functions but no genes for nitrogen fixation" 11017:

Baroni-Urbani C, Boyan GS, Blarer A, Billen J, Musthak Ali TM (1994). "A novel mechanism for jumping in the Indian ant

8269: 8023:

Yamauchi K, Kawase N (1992). "Pheromonal manipulation of workers by a fighting male to kill his rival males in the ant

4630: 14228:

Balee WL (2000). "Antiquity of traditional ethnobiological knowledge in Amazonia: The Tupi-Guarani family and time".

13312: 12214: 9231:

Jones TH, Clark DA, Edwards AA, Davidson DW, Spande TF, Snelling RR (August 2004). "The chemistry of exploding ants,

4410:

Ants and their larvae are eaten in different parts of the world. The eggs of two species of ants are used in Mexican

2841:

Ants attack and defend themselves by biting and, in many species, by stinging often injecting or spraying chemicals.

2605:" and colonies that lack queens are then called gamergate colonies; colonies with queens are said to be queen-right. 2052: 1996: 1767: 13012: 12232:"Convergent evolution of fern nectaries facilitated independent recruitment of ant-bodyguards from flowering plants" 11683: 9343:

Julian GE, Cahan S (August 1999). "Undertaking specialization in the desert leaf-cutter ant Acromyrmex versicolor".

4871:

in 1954. In more recent times, animated cartoons and 3-D animated films featuring ants have been produced including

3498:

Parasitic ant species enter the colonies of host ants and establish themselves as social parasites; species such as

1805:, ants had come to represent 20–40% of all insects found in major fossil deposits. Of the species that lived in the 17121: 16973: 14732: 14281: 10581: 10516: 6363: 2620:

and then marking them with a pheromone. The marked male is interpreted as an invader by worker ants and is killed.

17064: 13137: 11606:

Reiskind J (1977). "Ant-mimicry in Panamanian clubionid and salticid spiders (Araneae: Clubionidae, Salticidae)".

7451:"The tight genome size of ants: diversity and evolution under ancestral state reconstruction and base composition" 16986: 16793: 10669: 4661: 3807: 3337:, so the ability to find the shortest route back to the nest reduces that risk. Diurnal desert ants of the genus 2806:, when the dominant queen stops producing a specific pheromone, workers begin to raise new queens in the colony. 14395:"A Green Hell Makes Better Germans: Carl Stephenson's "Leiningen" and the Almost Aryan Countertextual Army Ants" 13048:

Andersen SB, Gerritsma S, Yusah KM, Mayntz D, Hywel-Jones NL, Billen J, Boomsma JJ, Hughes DP (September 2009).

12499:"Studies of a South East Asian ant-plant association: protection of Macaranga trees by Crematogaster borneensis" 9075:

Lopez LC, Morgan ED, Brand JM (1993). "Hexadecanol and hexadecyl formate in the venom gland of formicine ants".

6115: 13255:

Caldwell JP (1996). "The evolution of myrmecophagy and its correlates in poison frogs (Family Dendrobatidae)".

12739:"The effect of wood ants (Formica polyctena Foerst) on the transformation of phosphorus in a spruce plantation" 12638:

Hanzawa FM, Beattie AJ, Culver DC (1988). "Directed dispersal: demographic analysis of an ant-seed mutualism".

11763: 4677: 3098:, which nests in the cavities of wood in mangrove habitats, deals with submergence under water by switching to 494:

and a few remote or inhospitable islands. Ants thrive in moist tropical ecosystems and may exceed the combined

12593:

Giladi I (2006). "Choosing benefits or partners: a review of the evidence for the evolution of myrmecochory".

11831:"Is the larval and imaginal signalling of Lycaenidae and other Lepidoptera related to communication with ants" 6089: 4728: 3387:) is able to jump by synchronising the action of its mid and hind pairs of legs. There are several species of 2938:

recorded peak speeds of between 126 and 230 km/h (78 and 143 mph), with the jaws closing within 130

2027:

Ants range in size from 0.75 to 52 millimetres (0.030–2.0 in), the largest species being the fossil

17046: 14337: 14155: 11289:"Ant and termite mound coinhabitants in the wetlands of Santo Antonio da Patrulha, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil" 11227: 6068: 4948: 4801:

into an ant when the latter claimed to have invented the plough, when in fact it was Athena's own invention.

479:

because the ants appear to operate as a unified entity, collectively working together to support the colony.

9550:

Frank, Erik.T.; Buffat, Dany; Liberti, Joanito; Aibekova, Lazzat; Economo, Evan P.; Keller, Laurent (2024).

9294: 1809:

epoch, around one in 10 genera survive to the present. Genera surviving today comprise 56% of the genera in

549:

in other parts of the world, establishing themselves in areas where they have been introduced accidentally.

13387:

Wrege PH, Wikelski M, Mandel JT, Rassweiler T, Couzin ID (2005). "Antbirds parasitize foraging army ants".

8392: 5006: 2571:. The forms of inactivity are varied and some temperate species have larvae going into the inactive state ( 2256:, have excellent vision and are capable of discriminating the distance and size of objects moving nearly a 738: 13793:

Chapman RE, Bourke AF (2001). "The influence of sociality on the conservation biology of social insects".

12498: 7814:

Kipyatkov VE (2001). "Seasonal life cycles and the forms of dormancy in ants (Hymenoptera, Formicoidea)".

5121:"†Camelosphecia gen. nov., lost ant-wasp intermediates from the mid-Cretaceous (Hymenoptera, Formicoidea)" 4505:

held in high favor by the natives of North Queensland, and is even appreciated by many European palates".

3351:

that keeps count of the steps taken and also by evaluating the movement of objects in their visual field (

17164: 16903: 16890: 16559: 13424: 6946: 6542: 4759: 4613:. Management is based on the species and techniques may vary according to the location and circumstance. 3462:, are incapable of feeding themselves and need captured workers to survive. Captured workers of enslaved 2534:

of workers, is influenced in some species by the nutrition the larvae obtain. Genetic influences and the

2209: 12296: 9953:

Robson SK, Kohout RJ (2005). "Evolution of nest-weaving behaviour in arboreal nesting ants of the genus

3009:

by rupturing the membrane of its gaster, causing the content of its mandibular glands to burst from the

2419:

sp. These polymorphisms are caused by relatively small genetic changes; differences in a single gene of

16711: 16539: 16220: 11549: 4551: 4320: 3710: 139: 17113: 16908: 16447: 14699: 14105: 13077: 6610: 6578: 5796:"A formicine in New Jersey cretaceous amber (Hymenoptera: formicidae) and early evolution of the ants" 3904:. They have an edible elaiosome-like structure and are taken into the ant nest where the young hatch. 2283:; they also are used to transmit and receive signals through touch. The head has two strong jaws, the 17126: 17074: 16476: 14752: 14688: 14394: 13923: 13575: 12350:"Do ants feed plants? A N labelling study of nitrogen fluxes from ants to plants in the mutualism of 7873: 4971: 4897: 4863: 4772: 3781:). This modification of the forest provides the ants with more nesting sites inside the stems of the 3361: 2508: 1968: 13208:"Parasite Presence Induces Gene Expression Changes in an Ant Host Related to Immunity and Longevity" 12615: 10467: 10119:"Nest-site limitation and nesting resources of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in urban green spaces" 6155: 4295:. On the other hand, ants may become nuisances when they invade buildings or cause economic losses. 230: 16506: 14591: 14326: 12809:. Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 207–220. 5558:"The rise of army ants and their relatives: diversification of specialized predatory doryline ants" 4891: 4836: 4816:

Ant society has always fascinated humans and has been written about both humorously and seriously.

3996:, form associations with certain ant species to keep away predatory ant species. The tropical wasp 3537: 3250: 3046:

has been identified as the compound released from dead ants that triggers necrophoric behaviour in

2860: 2138: 2114: 13903: 12675:

Auld TD (1996). "Ecology of the Fabaceae in the Sydney region: fire, ants and the soil seedbank".

16769: 16564: 16283: 14181: 14051:"An improved and quantified technique for marking individual fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" 10706:"Smells like home: Desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, use olfactory landmarks to pinpoint the nest" 8519: 8286: 7448: 6548: 5724:

Jouault, Corentin; Condamine, Fabien L.; Legendre, Frédéric; Perrichot, Vincent (11 March 2024).

5672: 4690: 4009:, defend against ants by blasting them off the nest with bursts of wing buzzing. Stingless bees ( 3998: 3826: 3768: 2403: 2245: 2134: 2130: 534: 265: 14132: 10942: 7450: 4093:

parasites also manipulate their ant host to climb grass stems, to help the parasite find mates.

4042:, snatching prey or brood from the mandibles of adult ants. Wingless and legless females of the 3504:

are entirely parasitic and do not have workers, but instead, rely on the food gathered by their

2319:, leaving visible stubs, a distinguishing feature of queens. In a few species, wingless queens ( 17100: 16830: 14230: 13924:"Insects as food: How they have augmented the food supply of mankind in early and recent times" 13558: 12610: 5354: 4275:

Ants perform many ecological roles that are beneficial to humans, including the suppression of

4211: 3519: 3470: 3127: 2492: 2457: 2433:) has only a single pair of chromosomes (with the males having just one chromosome as they are 2408: 10608:"The ant's estimation of distance travelled: experiments with desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis" 7996:

Franks NR, Hölldobler B (1987). "Sexual competition during colony reproduction in army ants".

7548:"The causes and consequences of genetic caste determination in ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" 6276: 3775:

by killing surrounding plants with their stings and leaving a pure patch of lemon ant trees, (

3468:

species have evolved a counter-strategy, destroying just the female pupae of the slave-making

2526:

and enter the pupal stage. The pupa has the appendages free and not fused to the body as in a

17095: 17087: 17025: 16213: 14693: 13750:

Cheney RH, Scholtz E (1963). "Rooibos tea, a South African contribution to world beverages".

13352:

Inzunza ER, Martínez-Leyva JE, Valenzuela-González JE (2015). "Doves kleptoparasitize ants".

11445: 10844: 9691:

Maschwitz U, Moog J (December 2000). "Communal peeing: a new mode of flood control in ants".

7790: 7784: 6611:"Molecular systematics of basal subfamilies of ants using 28S rRNA (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" 6574: 5024: 4640: 4602: 4574: 4452: 4363: 4133: 3992: 3483: 3454:

Some species attack and take over neighbouring ant colonies. Extreme specialists among these

3444: 3383: 3099: 3081: 2661: 2421: 2170: 2008: 538: 13718: 13534: 10269:

Russell JA, Moreau CS, Goldman-Huertas B, Fujiwara M, Lohman DJ, Pierce NE (December 2009).

8626: 6690:

Fent K, Wehner R (April 1985). "Oceili: a celestial compass in the desert ant cataglyphis".

2007:

had estimated in 2009 that at any one time the total number of ants was between one and ten

1770:

and assumed ecological dominance around 60 million years ago. Some groups, such as the

16942: 16877: 16868: 16469: 14745: 13835: 13802: 13759: 13683: 13396: 13163:(Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with the discovery of an apparent parasite-induced host morph". 12985: 12893: 12846: 12750: 12602: 12567: 12513: 12406: 12369: 12243: 12120: 12018: 11961: 11900: 11803: 11615: 11564: 11505: 11454: 11393: 11191: 11136: 11074: 10891: 10817: 10486:"Desert ants Cataglyphis fortis use self-induced optic flow to measure distances travelled" 10435: 10344: 10282: 10218:

Feldhaar H, Straka J, Krischke M, Berthold K, Stoll S, Mueller MJ, Gross R (October 2007).

10176: 10091: 9851: 9794: 9700: 9563: 9498: 9438: 9248: 9128: 8998: 8850: 8805: 8641: 8581: 8531: 8298: 8036: 7950: 7849: 7400: 7345: 7237: 6699: 6622: 6398: 6313: 6213: 5871: 5809: 5739: 5629: 5569: 5510: 5397: 5314: 5128: 5074: 4985: 4885: 4798: 4497: 4425: 4123: 3893: 3757: 3705: 3623: 3608: 3604: 3578: 3531: 3401: 3094: 3075: 2990: 2984: 2885: 2680: 2453: 2237: 2098: 1852: 487: 20: 13206:

Stoldt M, Klein L, Beros S, Butter F, Jongepier E, Feldmeyer B, Foitzik S (January 2021).

11865: 10607: 4564:

is a major pest in hospitals and office blocks; it can make nests between sheets of paper.

3121:

Many animals can learn behaviours by imitation, but ants may be the only group apart from

3017:

and other chemicals that immobilise small insect attackers. The worker subsequently dies.

8: 16809: 16519: 14727: 12640: 11945: 11830: 11794: 11548:

Fournier D, Estoup A, Orivel J, Foucaud J, Jourdan H, Le Breton J, Keller L (June 2005).

11256:"Aspects of the biology of the primitive ant genus Myrmecia F. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" 9984:

Frouz J (2000). "The Effect of Nest Moisture on Daily Temperature Regime in the Nests of

9260: 8884:

Schmidt JO, Blum MS, Overal WL (1983). "Hemolytic activities of stinging insect venoms".

5453:"Phylogeny, classification, and species-level taxonomy of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)" 5035: 4594: 4372: 4189: 3803: 3789: 3716: 3677: 2729: 2048: 1786: 757: 515: 13806: 13763: 13687: 13478: 13400: 13297: 12897: 12850: 12754: 12606: 12571: 12517: 12450:"The assembly of ant-farmed gardens: mutualism specialization following host broadening" 12410: 12373: 12272: 12247: 12231: 12124: 12022: 11965: 11904: 11807: 11619: 11568: 11509: 11458: 11441:(Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with a discussion of the origin of social parasitism in ants" 11397: 11195: 11140: 11078: 10895: 10821: 10657: 10439: 10405: 10348: 10286: 10180: 10095: 9855: 9798: 9704: 9567: 9527: 9502: 9487:"Targeted treatment of injured nestmates with antimicrobial compounds in an ant society" 9486: 9442: 9252: 9132: 9002: 8924: 8854: 8809: 8645: 8585: 8535: 8302: 8040: 7954: 7853: 7591: 7404: 7349: 7241: 7201:

Rissing SW (1984). "Replete caste production and allometry of workers in the Honey Ant,

6703: 6626: 6402: 6317: 6217: 5875: 5813: 5768: 5743: 5725: 5633: 5573: 5514: 5318: 5132: 5078: 3179:

construction include soil and plant matter, and ants carefully select their nest sites;

2019:

of all the ants in the world was approximately equal to the total biomass of the entire

17154: 16441: 16433: 14659: 14543: 14422: 14359: 14309: 14297: 14247: 14072: 13983: 13948: 13818: 13775: 13369: 13270: 13257: 13232: 13207: 13188: 13129: 13090: 13004: 12909: 12862: 12719: 12657: 12537: 12474: 12449: 12430: 12330: 12179: 12144: 12088: 12063: 12044: 11982: 11949: 11921: 11888: 11726: 11701: 11675: 11631: 11588: 11521: 11470: 11417: 11359: 11272: 11255: 11207: 11203: 11182:

Morrison LW (1998). "A review of Bahamian ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) biogeography".

11159: 11124: 11098: 11040: 10935: 10915: 10786: 10732: 10705: 10638: 10573: 10508: 10459: 10362: 10305: 10270: 10246: 10219: 10200: 10148: 10059: 10024: 10005: 9921: 9896: 9877: 9820: 9724: 9673: 9461: 9426: 9407: 9368: 9325: 9272: 9175: 9151: 9116: 9092: 9022: 8866: 8769: 8701: 8657: 8607: 8464: 8431: 8368: 8333: 8237: 8212: 8188: 8155: 8071: 8052: 8009: 7919: 7865: 7759: 7722: 7675: 7423: 7388: 7369: 7309: 7284: 7183: 7028: 7009: 6863: 6830: 6783: 6723: 6442: 6429: 6386: 6269: 6244: 6201: 5992: 5942: 5930: 5894: 5859: 5653: 5592: 5557: 5533: 5498: 5452: 5423: 5151: 5120: 5098: 4856: 4657: 4325: 4292: 4268: 4139: 4106: 4005: 3835: 3761: 3567: 3424: 2934: 2847: 2842: 2822: 2589: 2229: 2186: 1790: 522: 433: 134: 16782: 13695: 12884:

Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Two Nasutitermes Species (Isoptera: Termitidae)".

12763: 12397:

Chomicki G, Renner SS (November 2016). "Obligate plant farming by a specialized ant".

11815: 11466: 10994: 10967: 10103: 9629: 9600: 9117:"Multifunctionality and mechanical origins: ballistic jaw propulsion in trap-jaw ants" 9053: 8101: 7260: 7225: 6063: 2670: 17082: 16929: 16735: 16348: 16298: 15641: 15473: 15156: 14666: 14643: 14622: 14595: 14570: 14482: 14426: 14414: 14366: 14301: 14251: 14022:

Kennedy CH (1951). "Myrmecological technique. IV. Collecting ants by rearing pupae".

14002: 13884: 13849: 13814: 13699: 13656: 13605: 13597: 13587: 13538: 13508: 13237: 13180: 13082: 12956:"Foraging in Social Wasps: Agelaia lacks recruitment to food (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)" 12955: 12810: 12624: 12529: 12479: 12422: 12382: 12349: 12316: 12277: 12259: 12210: 12136: 12093: 12036: 11987: 11926: 11869: 11731: 11702:"Ecological consequences of interactions between ants and honeydew-producing insects" 11580: 11409: 11351: 11346: 11329: 11310: 11164: 11090: 10999: 10946: 10907: 10864: 10829: 10778: 10737: 10686: 10630: 10565: 10451: 10310: 10251: 10220:"Nutritional upgrading for omnivorous carpenter ants by the endosymbiont Blochmannia" 10192: 10188: 10140: 10064: 10046: 9970: 9926: 9869: 9812: 9763: 9716: 9634: 9581: 9532: 9514: 9466: 9403: 9360: 9317: 9313: 9264: 9206: 9156: 9057: 9014: 8963: 8928: 8821: 8761: 8724: 8599: 8547: 8504: 8469: 8451: 8447: 8412: 8373: 8355: 8314: 8265: 8242: 8193: 8175: 7978: 7973: 7938: 7794: 7726: 7714: 7694: 7667: 7659: 7526: 7501: 7497: 7470: 7428: 7361: 7314: 7265: 7001: 6966: 6868: 6850: 6764: 6715: 6656: 6648: 6507: 6474: 6446: 6434: 6416: 6341: 6336: 6301: 6280: 6249: 6231: 5934: 5899: 5837: 5832: 5795: 5773: 5755: 5706: 5645: 5620: 5597: 5538: 5427: 5413: 5356: 5332: 5234: 5156: 5118: 5090: 4959: 4298:

In some parts of the world (mainly Africa and South America), large ants, especially

4172: 3847: 3772: 3666: 3500: 3455: 3344: 3233: 3192: 3064: 2908: 2775: 2718: 2575:), while in others, the adults alone pass the winter in a state of reduced activity. 2554: 2530:. The differentiation into queens and workers (which are both female), and different 2369: 2284: 2272: 2106: 2102: 2089: 2068: 2016: 2000: 1886: 694: 495: 452: 274: 14313: 13838:"Habitat use by the "Escamolera" ant (Liometopum apiculatum Mayr) in central Mexico" 13822: 13779: 13641: 13624: 13373: 13094: 12913: 12723: 12661: 12541: 12434: 12334: 11525: 11474: 11421: 11305: 11288: 11211: 11044: 10919: 10642: 10463: 10271:"Bacterial gut symbionts are tightly linked with the evolution of herbivory in ants" 10204: 10152: 10041: 9881: 9677: 9411: 9372: 9276: 9096: 9026: 8870: 8773: 8705: 8661: 8520:"Unicolonial ants: where do they come from, what are they and where are they going?" 8056: 7923: 7869: 7763: 7373: 7187: 7145: 6920: 6727: 6054: 5996: 5946: 5657: 5409: 5102: 4291:

cultivation in southern China is considered one of the oldest known applications of

3062:) present on the cuticle of their living nestmates to trigger similar behaviour. In 2921:

are equipped with mandibles called trap-jaws, which snap shut faster than any other

2015:) (i.e., between 10 and 10) and using this estimate he had suggested that the total 16934: 16882: 16378: 15894: 15826: 15626: 15183: 14934: 14535: 14472: 14406: 14293: 14239: 14062: 14031: 13979: 13876: 13810: 13767: 13691: 13646: 13636: 13579: 13527: 13504: 13433: 13404: 13361: 13293: 13266: 13227: 13219: 13192: 13172: 13121: 13072: 13064: 13049: 12994: 12901: 12854: 12758: 12711: 12649: 12620: 12575: 12521: 12469: 12461: 12414: 12377: 12320: 12312: 12267: 12251: 12202: 12171: 12148: 12128: 12083: 12075: 12048: 12026: 11977: 11969: 11916: 11908: 11861: 11811: 11772: 11721: 11713: 11665: 11623: 11592: 11572: 11513: 11462: 11401: 11363: 11341: 11300: 11267: 11236: 11199: 11154: 11144: 11102: 11082: 11032: 10989: 10979: 10899: 10856: 10825: 10790: 10768: 10727: 10717: 10678: 10622: 10577: 10557: 10512: 10500: 10443: 10401: 10366: 10352: 10300: 10290: 10241: 10231: 10184: 10130: 10099: 10054: 10036: 9997: 9966: 9916: 9908: 9859: 9824: 9802: 9759: 9755: 9728: 9708: 9665: 9624: 9616: 9571: 9522: 9506: 9456: 9446: 9399: 9352: 9329: 9309: 9256: 9198: 9146: 9136: 9084: 9049: 9006: 8955: 8920: 8893: 8858: 8813: 8796:

Hickling R, Brown RL (October 2000). "Analysis of acoustic communication by ants".

8753: 8693: 8649: 8611: 8589: 8539: 8500: 8459: 8443: 8404: 8363: 8345: 8306: 8232: 8224: 8183: 8167: 8120: 8044: 8005: 7968: 7958: 7911: 7857: 7751: 7742: 7740:

Keller L (1998). "Queen lifespan and colony characteristics in ants and termites".

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In addition to defence against predators, ants need to protect their colonies from

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Drones can also mate with existing queens by entering a foreign colony, such as in

2382: 1992: 1794: 1781:

During the Cretaceous period, a few species of primitive ants ranged widely on the

951: 785: 546: 418: 383: 357: 16895: 14637: 14547: 14410: 13719:"Innovative mechanisms for sharing benefits of biodiversity and related knowledge" 13313:"Foraging at army ant swarms by fifty bird species in the highlands of Costa Rica" 11517: 10009: 8518:

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Fernando Fernández; Roberto J. Guerrero; Andrés F. Sánchez Restrepo (April 2021).

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can decide whether the colony will have single or multiple queens. The Australian

2355: 2244:, ants tend to have blurrier eyesight, particularly in smaller species, and a few 16756: 16579: 16544: 16529: 16524: 16413: 16338: 15855: 15356: 15259: 15165: 14867: 14851: 13880: 13522: 10984: 10903: 10804:

Banks AN, Srygley RB (2003). "Orientation by magnetic field in leaf-cutter ants,

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