Ants: Complex Societies
Ants occur worldwide but are especially common in hot climates. Of the
approximately 8,000 species (Family: Formicidae, Order: Hymenoptera),
all
ants are social in habit; i.e., they live together in organized
colonies.
They range in in size from about 2 to about 25 millimetres (about 0.08
of an inch). Their colors range from yellow, brown, red or black to
species
that have a metallic lustre color.
Typically, an ant has a large head and a slender, oval
abdomen joined
to the thorax, or midsection, by a small waist. The antennae are
elbowed.
The mouth has two sets of jaws: the outer pair is used for digging, and
the inner pair is used for chewing.
There are generally three castes or classes: queens,
males and workers.The
life cycle of an ant has four stages: Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult;
which
comprise a life span of about 8 to 10 weeks.
The social behavior of ants, along with that of
honeybees, is the most
complex in the insect world. For example, slave-making ants, which
include
many species, have a variety of methods for "enslaving" the ants of
other
species. The Queen Bothriomyrmex decapitans of Africa allows
herself
to be dragged by Tapinoma ants into their nest. She then bites
off
the head of the Tapinoma queen and begins to lay her own eggs,
which
are then cared for by the "enslaved" Tapinoma workers
(Britannica
1: 437).
Harvester Ants: the Gatherers
Harvester ants collect and store food. The members of the Family: Formicidae,
Genus: Messor, love to collect and store all sorts of food
items;
such things in their nest as seeds, leaves, grass and berries are
commonly found in their nests.
Harvester ants are found almost throughout the world. In
the Southwestern
United States, their huge mounds are a common sight. The nest of
colonies
of harvesting ants are in a village-style. The mound above ground may
be
20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) across and 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more
into
the ground, with 60,000 to 90,000 members (Britannica 5: 733).
|
