Ant Facts

Ant, the common name of various genera of winged insects, some of which are common in most temperate and tropical regions. Like the bees and wasps, they live in communities regulated by definite laws, each member of the society doing a well defined and separate part of the work of the colony. Each community consists of males, of females much larger than the males, and of neuters, or workers. The males have wings, do no work, and most of them die in the fall. The females lay the eggs and have wings, which are used only a short time in the autumn, when some of them leave their colonies to establish new ones. The workers are wingless. They excavate the galleries of the ant hill, procure food and feed the larvae or young ant, which are unable to move. In fine weather they carry these larvae and pupae to the surface, for the warmth of the sun, and as attentively carry them back to a place of safety when bad weather is threatened or the ant hill is disturbed. In some communities there are special workers known as soldiers, because of the duties they perform and because of their powerful biting jaws.

There is great variety in the material, size and form of ant hills, or nests, according to the nature of the species. Most American ants build their nests in woods, fields or gardens, usually in the form of small mounds raised above the surface of the ground and containing numerous galleries and compartments. Some, however, excavate nests in old tree trunks. Some ants live on animal food, very quickly picking quite clean the skeleton of any dead animal they may find. In southern Europe there are ants which feed on grain and store it up in their nests for use. During the winter time ants rest in a state of torpor and so require no food.

Some species live on sweet substances, especially the honey-dew which exudes from the bodies of some plant lice or aphides. Sometimes the ants herd the lice on plants, much as human beings herd cattle, and from time to time, by stroking with their antennae, draw the sweet fluid from the aphides as a cow is milked. Other insects are kept in the nests of ants and looked after in a similar manner, and certain species of ants will the attack the nests of other ants, carry off their workers and compel them to serve as slaves. The marvelous intelligence of ants, and the wonderful things which they do, seem to be beyond belief. They tunnel under rivers, build bridges, unite to rescue a companion in danger, and rejoice and play like kittens.

Some species are armed with stings, other with powerful mandibles or with an acrid stinging fluid which they can throw out. The umbrella or parasol ant cuts off a leaf, seizes it by the stem and carries it to his nest with the blade extending over his back like an umbrella. It is said that when an ant of a certain species dies, all the members of its community turn out together, and in solemn march carry the dead member to a suitable place, where they dig a grave and bury the dead. After these ceremonies are over the ants return in pairs to their house. The honey ant secretes a peculiar honey and stores it away in its abdomen until the latter becomes so swollen as to be unmanageable; then the other ants carry the honey maker into the nest and feed it carefully. In time of need they devour the honey and its maker as well. The so-called white ants are not true ants.