There doesn’t seem to be a lot of ants in the world. But that’s on the surface. Underground, billions of ants are alive.

Scientific Name	formicidae
Type	Invertebrates
Diet	Omnivore
Size	0.08 – 1 inches
Lifespan	5 weeks – 15 years

About Ants

Ants are common insects, but they have some unique capabilities. More than 10,000 known ant species occur around the world. They are especially a lot in tropical forests, where they may be up to half of all the insects living in some locations.

Ants vs. Termites

Ants look much like termites, and the two are often confused. However, ants have a narrow “waist” between the abdomen and thorax, which termites do not. Ants also have large heads, elbowed antennae, and powerful jaws.

Social Behavior

Ants usually live in strong nest communities that may be located underground or in trees. Carpenter ants nest in wood and can be destructive to buildings. Some species, such as army ants, withstands the norm and do not have permanent homes, instead seeking out food for their enormous colonies.

Ant communities are headed by a queen or queens, whose duty in life is to lay thousands of eggs that will ensure the survival of the colony. Workers are wingless females that never reproduce, but instead search for food, care for the queen’s offspring, work on the nest, protect the community, and perform many other duties.

Male ants often have only one role: mating with the queen. After they have performed this function, they may die.

Diet

Ants communicate and cooperate by using chemicals that can alert others to danger or lead them to a food source. They typically eat nectar, seeds, fungus, or insects. However, some species have diets that are more unusual. Army ants may prey on reptiles, birds, or even small mammals.

Where To Get More Information

Kid-friendly websites6 about ants

https://www.pestworldforkids.org/pest-guide/ants/

Websites for adults

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant
https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Life_in_an_Ant_Colony