Ant Information

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.