A single colony of the
army ant species Eciton burchellii may consist of over two million individuals
Some species of ants "
farm"
aphids, protecting them on the plants they eat
Honeypot ants are gorged with food by workers to the point that their abdomens swell enormously. Other ants then extract nourishment from them. They function as living larders.
The pain caused by the string of the bullet ant (Paraponera clavata) is purported to be greater than that of any other
hymenopteran, and is ranked as the most painful according to the
Schmidt Sting Pain Index, given a "4+" rating
A
bivouac is a structure formed by migratory
army ant colonies. Here an Eciton sp. colony is forming a bridge.
The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is an
invasive species, thought to live in "mega-colonies"; one in Europe is stretching 6,000 km along the Mediterranean coast
The black garden ant (Lasius niger) is one of the most common ant species found in gardens in Europe
Lasius umbratus queens seek out an L. niger worker, kill it to gain the its scent and then discreetly sneak inside its nest to kill the L. niger queen; the workers will care for the new queen's larvae and slowly the colony will become one of L. umbratus.
The typical
colony consists of one or more egg-laying queens, a large number of workers and, seasonally, winged sexual males and females. Here a plaster cast is shown.
The characteristic jumping motion when in an agitated state gives the jack jumper ants (Myrmecia pilosula) their name
Many forms of green-head ants (Rhytidoponera metallica) have a distinctive metallic green exterior
A floating plate of ants, the dream of all
anteaters. These fire ants are trying to find dry land after having been displaced by rapidly rising water.
Escamoles al mojo de ajo, nom-om-om! This Mexican dish, consisting of larvae and pupae of Liometopum ants (served with garlic sauce), is likely another of the anteater's favorite snacks.
The large blue (Phengaris arion) is a species of butterfly that tricks Myrmecia ants into bringing them to the ants' nest, where they beg for food by acting like an ant larvae
Listed in Guinness World Records as the "most dangerous ant in the world", Myrmecia pyriformis ants attack by stinging and biting at the same time and is known to have killed humans[4]
Saharan silver ant (Cataglyphis bombycina) inhabits the Sahara Desert and is one of the most heat tolerant animals known. The ants often traverse midday temperatures around 47 °C to scavenge corpses of heat-stricken animals.
References
^Jones, T.H.; Clark, D.A.; Edwards, A.A.; Davidson, D.W.; Spande, T.F. and
Snelling, Roy R. (2004): "The Chemistry of Exploding Ants, Camponotus spp. (Cylindricus complex)". Journal of Chemical Ecology30(8): 1479-1492.
doi:
10.1023/B:JOEC.0000042063.01424.28
A single colony of the
army ant species Eciton burchellii may consist of over two million individuals
Some species of ants "
farm"
aphids, protecting them on the plants they eat
Honeypot ants are gorged with food by workers to the point that their abdomens swell enormously. Other ants then extract nourishment from them. They function as living larders.
The pain caused by the string of the bullet ant (Paraponera clavata) is purported to be greater than that of any other
hymenopteran, and is ranked as the most painful according to the
Schmidt Sting Pain Index, given a "4+" rating
A
bivouac is a structure formed by migratory
army ant colonies. Here an Eciton sp. colony is forming a bridge.
The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is an
invasive species, thought to live in "mega-colonies"; one in Europe is stretching 6,000 km along the Mediterranean coast
The black garden ant (Lasius niger) is one of the most common ant species found in gardens in Europe
Lasius umbratus queens seek out an L. niger worker, kill it to gain the its scent and then discreetly sneak inside its nest to kill the L. niger queen; the workers will care for the new queen's larvae and slowly the colony will become one of L. umbratus.
The typical
colony consists of one or more egg-laying queens, a large number of workers and, seasonally, winged sexual males and females. Here a plaster cast is shown.
The characteristic jumping motion when in an agitated state gives the jack jumper ants (Myrmecia pilosula) their name
Many forms of green-head ants (Rhytidoponera metallica) have a distinctive metallic green exterior
A floating plate of ants, the dream of all
anteaters. These fire ants are trying to find dry land after having been displaced by rapidly rising water.
Escamoles al mojo de ajo, nom-om-om! This Mexican dish, consisting of larvae and pupae of Liometopum ants (served with garlic sauce), is likely another of the anteater's favorite snacks.
The large blue (Phengaris arion) is a species of butterfly that tricks Myrmecia ants into bringing them to the ants' nest, where they beg for food by acting like an ant larvae
Listed in Guinness World Records as the "most dangerous ant in the world", Myrmecia pyriformis ants attack by stinging and biting at the same time and is known to have killed humans[4]
Saharan silver ant (Cataglyphis bombycina) inhabits the Sahara Desert and is one of the most heat tolerant animals known. The ants often traverse midday temperatures around 47 °C to scavenge corpses of heat-stricken animals.
References
^Jones, T.H.; Clark, D.A.; Edwards, A.A.; Davidson, D.W.; Spande, T.F. and
Snelling, Roy R. (2004): "The Chemistry of Exploding Ants, Camponotus spp. (Cylindricus complex)". Journal of Chemical Ecology30(8): 1479-1492.
doi:
10.1023/B:JOEC.0000042063.01424.28