Ants

Entomologists have recorded approximately over 8,800 species of ants in the family Formicidae. All of these species are eusocial. Statistics further indicates that there are more species of ants than all other social insects combined. Ants likewise belong to the most ecologically varied group in relation to distribution, life history, feeding strategies, and specialized adaptations. Taken as a group, ants eat a wide assortment of food; however, individual species tend to specialize in their food intake. Some ants are basically carnivores. Many collect seeds and grains. Others focus on sweets like nectar and honeydew.

We usually picture ant nests as an underground maze of intersecting chambers and tunnels. Many species also thrive above the ground such as in shrubs, trees, and even dead wood. Pharoah ants usually nest in the corner of a desk drawer. Fire ants on the other hand typically nest inside electrical utility boxes.

Typically, an ant nest contains at least one fertile queen capable of laying eggs. It also has thousands of adult female workers as well as a nursery for nurturing eggs, larvae, and pupae. An ant nest also has a storage area for food reserves as well as a dumping place for waste and dead bodies. Majority of the new colonies are made either in late spring or early fall, after an annual swarming event whereby thousands of both the males and the females come out of their nest. They later fly into the air for mating purposes. After this nuptial flight, the male ants roam off and die. Using stereoscopic microscopy, the new queen ant was noted to shed off her wings. The female ant goes around in search for a suitable place for home site. Later, she lays a small clutch of eggs and tends to them until they are mature enough to be first batch of workers. Subsequently the queen dedicates herself to laying eggs while the workers scout for food, care for the young and enlarge the nest

With the aid of stereoscopic microscopy, some worker ants have the same size and appearance. In other species, they may differ in size. Many have distinct physical traits when viewed through stereoscopic microscopy that allow them to be more suited for other jobs. The minors or minims usually work inside the nest taking care of the queen and feeding the larvae while the larger once may scout for food and enlarge the nest. The majors or maxims have big mandibles and powerful jaw muscles as observed using stereoscopic microscopy. They act as soldiers keeping watch at the nest entrance. They also protect the scavengers from predators and also defend the ant colony from raids of other ants.

Pheromones play a significant role in the social structure of an ant colony. Each of the ant colonies has a distinctive odor. This odor assists members to identify nestmates and exclude invaders. The regulation of the caste is not fully understood. Basically all females are identical when laid as observed through stereoscopic microscopy. Their development depends largely on the care and feeding they receive.

Ants can be classified into different types. The various kinds of ants can be differentiated from each other through stereoscopic microscopy. Some of the most common ant groups include harvester ants. Harvester ants typically thrive in arid environments and feed largely on seeds. They may build intricate underground nests of six feet deep or more. Army ants on the other hand are nomadic predators. As such, they do not have permanent nests. The slave-maker ants attack the colonies of other species and get worker larvae and pupae. As slaves, once they mature, they work for their owners until they die. Leafcutter ants are also referred to as parasol ants. They are gardeners and they chew up plant leaves into a pulp and use it to fertilize a fungus they grow for food in underground gardens. Weaver ants build nests in trees. The workers entwine their bodies to pull branches into position, and tie the leaves together with silk spun by their larvae. As what the name implies, honey-pot ants feed on honeydew excreted by aphids. Fire ants are an invasive species capable of a very painful sting. They react aggressively to any disturbance of their nest. Thief ants are very tiny. They are capable to raiding the food supplies of larger ants. They can escape from larger ant species through tunnels that are too small for the bigger ants to enter. Carpenter ants on the other hand build their nests in wood. But unlike termites, they do not eat the wood. However, they may still cause severe damage to homes and other wooden structures.