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The language these ants use is rather sophisticated: the ants adapt their communication, using shorter messages for frequently used locations and compressing some more regular messages. [4] Using a method based on measuring the time it takes the ants to communicate various messages, it has been shown that they can to use simple arithmetic ...
Many ant-dispersed seeds have special external structures, elaiosomes, that are sought after by ants as food. [180] Ants can substantially alter rate of decomposition and nutrient cycling in their nest. [181] [182] By myrmecochory and modification of soil conditions they substantially alter vegetation and nutrient cycling in surrounding ecosystem.
As predators, scavengers, and herbivores, ants have a variety of food sources, for which they may journey as far as 200 meters from their nest, spraying a scent trail as they go. [3] To lead their kin to new food sources, ants demonstrate one of the few examples of interactive teaching outside of the mammalian class.
How far ants will travel for food depends on the species, but it’s generally within about 25 feet of the nest. The colony is almost always found outside, so look around to identify where they ...
Some major ants can grow 16mm long, which is pretty big for an ant! Mutualism Between Ants and Fungi Leafcutter ants build massive nests that can reach 20 feet deep.
Weaver ants or green ants are eusocial insects of the Hymenoptera family Formicidae belonging to the tribe Oecophyllini. Weaver ants live in trees (they are obligately arboreal ) and are known for their unique nest building behaviour where workers construct nests by weaving together leaves using larval silk . [ 3 ]
The queen can reach 6–9mm in length and is smaller as a new queen. After a queen mates, she removes her wings and digests her wing muscles as food over the winter. Male phenotype 3.5–4.5 mm long, slim, colour black. Only produced by queens when the nuptial flights are approaching.
Ants as a colony also work as a collective "super mind". Ants can compare areas and solve complex problems by using information gained by each member of the colony to find the best nesting site or to find food. [2] Some social-parasitic species of ants, known as the slave-making ant, raid and steal larvae from neighboring colonies. [19]