STUDY OF THE ANT
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Ants are social insects of the hymenoptera order, which includes wasps and bees. Ants are very common insects. There are more than 10,000 known ant species around the world. They thrive in many environments on this planet [3]. They can lift 20 times their own body weight and colonies can house up to 7 million ants. Although the average size of an ant colony can range depending on location and ant species [9].
Like all insects, ants have their body divided into 3 sections: the head, thorax, and abdomen. They have an exoskeleton made of chitin and six legs. They use their antennae to recognize other nest mates and to detect enemies [6]. They also use pheromones to communicate with other ants. They leave trails leading to food for other nestmates to detect.
Ants live in numerous places. The colonies tend to live in underground communities or in trees [4]. Ants are eusocial insects. They live and work together in colonies headed by a queen or queens. There is a division of labor within the colony. The queen ant reproduce with the males and makes more offspring, and the workers (non-reproductive females) tend to the young, work on the nest, forage for food, and protect the colony [2].
Ants practically eat everything. They have a large range of different foods from nectar and honeydew to other insects, animals, seeds and fungi [5].
Ants practically eat everything. They have a large range of different foods from nectar and honeydew to other insects, animals, seeds and fungi [5].