The ant belongs to the class insects, phylum arthropods, order Hymenoptera, family ants (Formicidae). According to their organization, ants belong to the group of social insects with a clear division into three castes: workers, females and males.
- Blood Red Ant (Slave Master)(Formica sanguinea)
widespread in Europe, middle lane Russia, found in China and Mongolia. Working individuals are up to 8 mm long and have a black body with an orange head. The queen ant grows up to 10 mm and is distinguished by a red head and orange color chest. Ants make summer nests in half-rotten stumps, in the ground and under stones, in winter time the family moves to another nest located at the base of the trees. In a typical way The life of this type of ant is predatory raids on the anthills of brown forest, fast and other ants. Captured pupae are brought to the nest and raised as "slaves".
- Yellow Amazon Ant ( Polyergus rufescens)
a species of ants distinguished by its rather large size: females reach almost a centimeter in length, males are somewhat more modest in size - 6-7.5 mm, “soldiers” are even smaller and rarely grow more than 5-7 mm. Females and “soldiers” are colored yellow-reddish, the body is usually covered with black hairs. Male ants are black, with brown limbs and antennae. The species lives in European countries, in the western regions of Asia, in western Siberia. The Amazon ant prefers to settle in damp forests, choosing clearings and forest edges to build an anthill. Amazons lead a slave-owning lifestyle, abduct other ants in the pupal stage, and then use them as slaves and labor.
- Legionnaire ants or nomad ants (dorilins, wandering ants) ( Dorylinae)
a subfamily of nomadic ants that live exclusively in the tropics and subtropical zone. Legionnaire ants are especially common in Central and South America, found in Africa. They live in huge colonies, the main part of which are working individuals. Nomadic ants destroy everything in their path that is suitable for food. Despite the average size of 2-4 mm, this type ants “take over” with their numbers, destroying crops during invasions cultivated plants and feeding on their juices.
Where do ants live?
These insects can be observed on all continents, in all natural areas and climatic zones. They are absent only in the harsh climate of the Arctic and Antarctica, on the cold islands of Greenland and Iceland, as well as in sultry deserts. In areas with temperate and cold climates, ants hibernate in winter.
Basically, these insects build anthills for themselves in rotten or rotten wood, in the soil and under small stones. Some species of ants invade other people's nests or live near humans.
The food of ants is varied and depends on the species. The diet of most species consists of plant and animal foods, and each individual eats several times a day.
The source of protein necessary for the growth and development of ant larvae in nature are dead insects, animal remains, trophic eggs laid by the queen when there is an excess of food, eggs of pests and semi-digested food of adult ants. House ant larvae feed on dairy products, gelatin and leftover egg dishes. The diet of the ant queen also consists of protein food, which is specially chewed by the ants caring for her.
The basis of the carbohydrate menu of most ants is honeydew (sugar-containing leaf juices secreted during temperature changes) and honeydew - the sweet secretions of insects, especially aphids.
Dairy farmer ants raise aphids for themselves, graze them, nurse them, and protect their offspring from other ants. These shepherds milk their pets and feed on their milk.
Additional components of ants' food in nature can be seeds and roots of plants, nuts, and tree sap.
Some ants raise colonies of fungi in anthills as food, and also feed on caterpillars and insects.
Reaper ants consume dry plant seeds, dry fruits and grain crops. They are able to store 1 kg of raw materials, which makes it possible to feed an entire colony of ants in winter. Leaf-cutter ants bring pieces of leaves to the anthill, chew them and store them in a kind of greenhouse chambers. Over time, mushrooms grow from these pieces in the storage, which are the main food for these gourmet ants.
Centromyrmex ants feed exclusively on termites. The Dracula ant drinks the juices secreted by its own larvae, and feeds the larvae with various insects. House ants are omnivores.
In winter, when it gets significantly colder, the ants hibernate, during which they starve.
Most species, however, lead in winter active image life in a sealed anthill, feeding on abundant supplies.
Ant Reproduction
Ants reproduce in two ways and occur twice a year. In the first method, a young queen with a certain number of workers separates from the community and forms a new anthill. The second method is the mating flight, during which a female ant is fertilized by several males from a foreign anthill. After this, she lays eggs, from which worker ants emerge. The males die after some time. Until the workers appear, the female feeds on nutrients from the remains of the wing muscles. From fertilized eggs, worker ants and females are born, and from unfertilized eggs, males are born.
These insects are not at all harmful, of course, if they do not look for a human home for their habitat. Therefore, it is not worth exterminating them just like that: after all, the ant is an important link in the ecological chain.
How does an anthill work? Life of ants
The lifestyle of ants is very similar to human society: Ants, like people, have their own professions.
Look at the structure of the anthill:
- Builder ants and engineers arrange their homes, build tunnels and communications.
- The military, or soldiers, protect the anthill from enemies and seize territory.
- Doctors treat relatives, isolate sick individuals, and, if necessary, perform surgical operations - chewing off damaged paws.
- Nurses look after the larvae.
- Foragers collect food and put it in rooms in the anthill specially designed for this.
- Farmers or livestock breeders are engaged in breeding aphids, cicadas, copperheads, and scale insects. They herd their “animals” and then milk them for delicious honeydew (the sweet secretion of these insects).
- Leaf-cutter ants collect and curl plant leaves, and then grow colonies of fungi from them, which serve as food for the ants. There are also fungus-farming ants, which use pieces of insects or feces to grow mushrooms.
- Harvester ants collect plant seeds.
- Carpenter ants collect the gum that plants secrete.
- Gravedigger ants deliver their deceased ants to the cemetery.
- These interesting insects have other equally interesting professions.
- The bullet ant, which lives in the tropics, has a potent poison, which, when bitten, causes sensations in the victim that are several times greater than the pain from a bee or wasp sting. Some Indian tribes use this ant poison in the initiation rite of boys: a bag filled with this type of ant is placed on the hand of the future man; as a result of the bites, the hand swells and hurts greatly. Apparently, in this way the tribal leaders are trying to instill perseverance in the boys.
- Residents of Africa and Asian countries gladly include ant “eggs”, which are actually larvae, in their menus. It is believed that this delicacy is rich in proteins and increases potency. Mexicans consume this dish on holidays, spreading eggs on corn tortillas like Russians spread red caviar on a sandwich.
- The queen, who is the founder of an ant colony, usually lives 5-6 years. However, cases have been recorded when the queen lived up to 14 years - an absolute record among insects!
19.02.2016
Often, watching ants swarming in a forest or in a clearing, many people have a question: how many years do these workers live, what affects the quality and duration of their life? Are there effective ways fight these insects if you suddenly discover that they live in the neighborhood?
Lifespan of ants by species
Ants are the most common insect species on earth, the total number of which is divided into 13.5 thousand species. And 300 species of them live in Russia. Insects lead a social life and cannot exist alone.
The lifespan of ants is genetically determined depending on their membership in a certain caste, which is determined at birth and does not change throughout their existence: workers, queens and males.
How many years do ants live , depends on the type and living conditions of the insect. The size of the individual also affects its lifespan: the larger the ant, the greater the chance of living longer.
The inhabitants of mixed forests are rightfully considered to be orderlies - a large anthill can protect a hectare of forest from pests. Ants feed their larvae with pupae of harmful insects, collecting several thousand pieces in one day. Colonies of aphids, which are raised by ants to collect the sweet juice produced by insects, can be called harmful.
The life of ants passes in an anthill made of twigs, pine needles, and forest debris. The height of the structure can reach two meters. Insects overwinter in the lower part of the structure, hibernating if the temperature inside is too low.
The life cycle of a working red ant is designed for 5 years, but almost no one lives to reach the deadline set by nature - forest birds love to feast on ants. Males, having fulfilled their function, die within a month. The queen is long-lived while she is in the anthill.
Red forest ants are listed in the Red Book. Forestry staff conducts an annual count of anthills.
The insect is distinguished by its body covered with villi. How do meadow ants live? They make their home on open areas terrain: forest edges, meadows. Winged females fly out twice a season to fertilize. The lifespan of a meadow insect is the same as that of its red forest counterpart. Ants that spend time in the middle of an anthill have a longer lifespan than those that go outside. The reason is the high mortality of working individuals from injuries and predators.
The pharaoh ant was brought from warm countries, so for its housing it chooses human houses in rural and urban areas. Insects do not build an anthill, but adapt cavities in the house for nesting. In multi-apartment buildings, pharaoh ants live in colonies numbering several thousand individuals, belonging to the same family with general management. The adult size reaches 3 mm.
The life expectancy of an ant is one of the lowest:
- females live 8-9 months;
- breeding males die within 20 days;
- working individuals exist for about 2 months.
The short lifespan of insects is compensated by a large number of queens in the nest, which can reproduce more than 30 thousand individuals per year.
The average development time for an ant from egg to adulthood is approximately 40 days. IN as soon as possible pharaoh ants can colonize apartment buildings, creating nests in a place remote from humans.
Black garden
The life of ants passes in nests built in the ground, on top of which a characteristic mound is poured. Rotten wood or a place under a stone is suitable for making a nest. Insects hibernate in the lower part of the structure, which is located half a meter from the surface. Arthropods also often settle in human homes, preparing food for wintering from food waste and crumbs.
Despite the natural life expectancy of working individuals of up to 3 years, in real conditions there is an almost complete renewal of the inhabitants of the anthill throughout the year.
What determines the lifespan of ants?
The lifespan of ants is affected by:
- Climatic conditions.
- A species of insect family.
- The role of the individual in the anthill.
How many years ants live depends directly on living conditions and the functions performed by the insect.
Ants are distributed almost everywhere except Greenland, Antarctica and some islands in the Atlantic. Life expectancy directly depends on weather conditions in the area where insects live. In the tropics, insects have a longer lifespan.
In cold conditions, when the duration of the warm season does not exceed 3 months, insects hibernate, showing no signs of life until warming occurs. The lifespan under these conditions lasts up to 5 years or more, but the total period is less than that of their relatives living in warm conditions.
If the ground in the anthill area does not freeze, then the ant colony continues active life in a dwelling walled up from all exits, maintaining the necessary temperature for the development of larvae. During this period, ants feed on stored food reserves and come to the surface only when the external air temperature is favorable.
The lifespan of a worker ant is limited to two years, but in fact few of them live to a ripe old age, since natural enemies and dangers shorten the allotted time.
Ants are insects whose lifestyle is defined as social. They live in colonies in anthills built in wood or soil. Ant reproduction is a rather interesting process. The female, called the queen, produces offspring herself, constantly being in the nest.
About the life of ants
The ant family contains:
- queen (female, queen);
- males;
- larvae;
- working individuals.
Thanks to formic acid, these insects very easily navigate the terrain and very easily find the right path even in the most complex labyrinth. They also use formic acid when defending their home or when attacking an enemy. Since these insects do not know how to live alone, they feel most comfortable in the company of their relatives.
Their teamwork is also more productive. However, these hardworking insects spend a lot of time resting. Almost a quarter of the time is spent on hygiene procedures. Ants spend three hours a day sleeping.
Every ant family has a personal space that is protected from other insects. There, insects create paths, the order of which is constantly monitored by working individuals. Such paths can be very long. For example, inside an anthill their length can sometimes reach seven kilometers.
It happens that conflicts occur between individual ants inside the nest, after which weak individuals are forced to flee, taking the larvae with them.
Reproduction of house ants
The size of the female house ant is much larger than that of ordinary working ants. If we talk about how ants reproduce, the process begins with mating. In the female it occurs only once in her life, despite the fact that she can live for about 12 years. At first she has wings, which she needs for the mating flight. Immediately after fertilization, the female bites off her wings - they are no longer needed.
Eggs are laid in a secluded place, which the female finds on her own. After 2-3 weeks, larvae begin to emerge from the eggs. After about six months, they pupate, and after some time, worker ants begin to appear.
Until this time, the female does not feed at all. She feeds the larvae using special glands that secrete nutrients using so-called female fat.
Immediately after their appearance, the worker ants begin to search for food for the queen and larvae. The female can lay eggs throughout the year. Males develop from unfertilized eggs. They also have wings for mating flight. However, immediately after mating the males die.
Peculiarities of reproduction of forest ants
Unlike a colony of domestic insects, in forest ant families there can be only one queen, which produces offspring. Winged individuals fly out to mate in late May–early June. Usually the number of individuals in the wood ant family is small.
An interesting fact is that only insects of one sex appear in one colony. This pattern makes inbreeding impossible, which prevents degeneration. Females lay eggs in quantities that sometimes amount to several hundred. After a while, males, females or working individuals emerge from them. The number of insects in each family is regulated by its needs.
Ants. The Secret Power of Nature: Video
Your stories about ants. This time we will talk about how exactly these insects are born, about which we know so little.
A few days ago I had the amazing opportunity to attend an extraordinary birth and even photograph it in the most inaccessible and therefore most mysterious maternity hospital in the world. Yes, yes, in the very same place where people are not allowed to enter and where creatures are born that are many times superior to humans in almost everything... I filmed the amazing work of obstetricians and the birth of ideal soldiers and professional workers; Today I am putting into the public domain everything that was so carefully hidden from people. The filming was carried out with a hidden camera; I think you will understand the risk I took for these shots and appreciate the report.
This is how the maternity hospital looks from the outside, that is, this is how we people see it
In ant dwellings everything is strict, there is always and everywhere absolute and unconditional order.
The ants have a maternity hospital, a nursery, kindergarten, a warehouse where food is stored, and even a dining room. Believe it or not, there is even a park where dolls are sometimes taken for a walk, and a cemetery. I hope to make reports in due time about every corner of their huge home, but today we will talk exclusively about the maternity hospital, here it is.
Birth of an ant
Let's try to take a closer look at the ants... This is the maximum that a person can see. Yeah, the same person who is the coolest on planet Earth.
The birth process of an ant.
And you and I no longer see this, this is the direct process of childbirth.
The eggs are collected from under the queen by ants.
I can’t see exactly how they hold them together, but they carry them in handfuls like this.
Having collected the eggs, the ants take them to the nursery, where after some time they turn into larvae.
Actually, here all three stages are visible: in the background there are eggs just turning into larvae; on the front - the larva; and in the center is a pupa that has already gained color.
With rare exceptions, eggs and larvae are found in nurseries.
The larva turns into a pupa and is taken to kindergarten.
The ants hold the pupae upside down, hanging motionless for hours. Those dolls that lie below are waiting for their turn: they will soon be lifted up too. Many pupae are very, very large; Sometimes the ants keep them one at a time, but more often they keep them together.
When the doll begins to gain color, it leaves the kindergarten and goes to the maternity hospital.
Sometimes they bring here still completely transparent pupae, but they quickly darken.
The birth itself occurs quite quickly - 30, maximum 40 minutes.
Suddenly a lot of ants gather around the pupa, and it becomes very difficult to see what exactly they are doing. It seems that they are just concentrating on feeling it with their antennae, and that’s all.
If you look closely, you can see that the ants are removing the film from the pupa!
The film was removed from the doll.
Newborn ant
It is interesting that sometimes the pupa is taken from the maternity hospital immediately before birth and taken to the room where the future ant will work in the future. The newborn is given a few minutes to wash himself, and then his childhood ends. He gets involved in the work along with other ants.
This baby stayed to work in the maternity hospital.
(main photo)
This is how I got this amazing report. Did you like it?
Reproduction is an important stage in the life of any living creature. And for such numerous colonies as those of ants, replenishment of the family is the primary task for the maintenance and development of the anthill. Observations of how ants reproduce prove the uniqueness of this type of insect.
Reproduction
It is a known fact that all members of the colony are working females who are unable to reproduce. And only one or several queens give birth to these offspring. Fertilized eggs produce females, and unfertilized eggs produce males. The latter have a biased position in the ant community and often become victims of their fellow tribesmen. This is why it is perplexing how ants mate.
Once a year, newly hatched winged males and females are allowed to perform a love dance. It is during the short flight that the ants mate. Immediately after this process, the male is killed by his fellow tribesmen, and the female leaves the anthill to create her own colony.
At the fourth fastest stage of development, the ant emerges from the pupa as an adult. It is helped to hatch from the cocoon by other insects, which bite off the upper part of the formed shell. When adults hatch, they look like adults, but are light in color and have soft body parts. After a few hours, the ant acquires the color and chitinous shell of an adult fellow tribesman.
Choice of profession
The reproduction of ants depends not only on the queen, but also on the coordinated actions of all members of the colony. Any failure at least at one of the stages of insect development can lead to the death of all offspring. Therefore, after the ants appear, they must choose a specific role for themselves and immediately begin to directly participate in the life of the anthill. In order to have the right to live under a common roof with the colony, the newly minted individual is offered a choice of one of the professions:
- nanny for caring for eggs and larvae;
- builder;
- security guard;
- food provider;
- transporter;
- aphid herder;
- scout;
- warrior and others.
Due to the fact that the queens reproduce quickly, the anthill is constantly supplied with new members of the colony and can continuously develop. This approach when favorable conditions allows colonies to grow to enormous sizes and reach a population of several million individuals.