26+ Ants Facts That No One Knows! (free Printable)

Ants are insects that live in nest communities. This species’ habitat is in mounds created at ground level, underground, in plants or trees, or in wood structures. Plant matter and soil are usually used to create their homes. Ants usually carry twigs and leaves back to their nest. 

Ants belong to the family of Formicidae, along with other types of related bees and wasps. Ants are species that evolved from their ancestors, known as vespoid wasps, in the specific period called the Cretaceous period.

There are 22000 ant species in the world. Ants can be easily identified with their geniculate antennae and the unique node-like structure that develops their slender waists.

Ant colonies are known as superorganisms, as they generally work as a unified entity and collectively to support their colony. So, today, we will learn some amazing Ant Facts.

Interesting Ants Facts

Ants Live in Colonies or Groups

Ants are insects, meaning they live in large colonies or groups. In colder regions, ants usually become inactive during the winter months.

In contrast, these insects remain active in warmer climates and temperatures. Some ants can even swim, and some can build underwater colonies. 

Ants Have Existed for Millions of Years

Some species of ants have existed for about 100 million years. Ants survived a serious mass extinction event called Cretaceous-Tertiary.

This mass extinction event wiped out many dinosaurs and other prehistoric animal species around 65 million years ago. Thus, ants are the oldest insect species in the world. 

Ants Are Intelligent

One tiny can have about 250,000 brain cells, and hence, a colony of 40000 ants collectively has a similar number of the brain of brain cells as a human being.

Ants Are Found Almost All Over the World

Ants are insects, and there are more than 12000 species of ants on the planet. They can be found literally everywhere.

Unless you live in Antarctica, Artic, or the few inhospitable islands on the planet, you will likely have a minimum of one ant species to deal with. Hawaiians must handle at least 50 known ant species.

Ants Have Two Stomachs

Ants have six legs and can run almost 300 meters per hour. Moreover, ants usually have two stomachs. One is used to store food they eat, and the other stores food they can share with other ants.

The total weight of all ants on the planet is almost the same as that of all humans. However, ants can lift up to 50 times their own body weight.

There Are Three Classes Of Ants

Ants live in colonies. There, they have a queen who lays eggs, male ants who mate with the queen, and female worker ants who perform all the colony’s tasks.

Some ants even care and farm for insects, such as aphids, for their sweet honeydew excretions. Moreover, the queen ant can live for almost 30 years, whereas the average lifespan of a worker ant is just one year.

Ants Have Strong Jaws

The leafcutter ant can carry leaves that are almost 50 times their own weight. Some ants can even use their powerful jaws as solid weapons.

The ants’ muscles are thicker relative to the rest of their body mass, and hence, they can carry a huge amount of weight despite being so small.

Ants Are Extremely Organized

Ants can recognize their nestmates and can even attack ants from different colonies. However, these insects are highly organized and work together to find food and build nests.

Ants Travel in Groups

The ant species known as army ants is one of the most feared on the planet. Traveling in large groups or swarms, these ants can strip an area of all its living creatures in just a few hours.

Moreover, the Argentine ant is one of the world’s most invasive species and has taken over various areas where it has been introduced.

Symbiotic Relationships Between Ants and Plants

Some ants have even developed symbiotic relationships with specific plants. In these relationships, ants protect the plant from predators, and in return, the plant offers them shelter and food.

Ants Can Create Bridges and Rafts

Ants can make rafts and bridges by holding onto each other’s bodies. Also, they can carry their wounded back to their nests for treatment if necessary.

Ants Can Camouflage

Some ants can camouflage themselves, which helps them blend in with their surroundings. Some, like the fire ant and the carpenter ant, can even fly.

Ants Have a Developed Nervous System

Ants have a remarkably developed nervous system, and some scientists even believe that they are capable of basic forms of memory and learning.

Moreover, the driver ant is one of the largest ants on the planet, and it can grow almost 2.5 centimeters in length.

Ants Have a Strong Sense of Smell

Ants have a highly developed sense of smell and can detect chemical cues from other species of ants from several meters of distance.

Some ants even can sting, like the bullet ant, which has one of the most painful stings on the planet. This bullet ant is the biggest ant in the world, as it can grow almost 1.6 inches and is found in the Panama jungle.

Ants Are Vital for The Ecosystem

Ants can use rudimentary tools like sand to create holes in their nests. They are also very important to the ecosystem as they assist in controlling the population of other insects and can help distribute seeds.

Ants Have Special Abilities

Some ants have developed the ability to spray formic acid as a defense mechanism. In contrast, some ant species have developed the ability to glide through the air by using their bodies as wings.

Ants as Medicinal Ingredients

Ants have been used in traditional medicine for many years in multiple cultures, as this species is believed to have healing qualities or properties.

Unique Qualities of Ants

The trap-jaw ant is an ant species with one of the fastest movements in the animal kingdom. These ants can close their jaws at around 145 km/h.

However, another ant species, the weaver ant, is well-known for its ability to sew multiple leaves together, which it uses to create nests.

Ants Are Usually Omnivores

Most species of ants are omnivores, meaning they eat seeds, nectar, insects, or fungus; however, army ants are certain ants that feed on birds, reptiles, or even small mammals.

Ants Can Feel Vibrations

Ants don’t have any ears. They can hear by feeling vibrations on the ground. Moreover, these insects do not have lungs and can breathe through their skin.

Ants as Enslavers

Ants are literally enslavers. Sometimes, they kidnap ants from various other colonies and force them to perform their tasks.

Also, the soldier works as a good soldier for their queen. They use their big heads to block entrances and can stop intruders from entering the nest.

Male Ants Can Fly

Male ants have wings, and sometimes they fly in swarms to find mates. Also, once a queen ant has mated, her wings usually fall off.

Ants Love a Moist Environment

Ants usually thrive in moist and tropical ecosystems and can surpass the combined biomass of mammals and wild birds. Their remarkable success in so many environments can be attributed to their capability to tap resources, modify habitats, and defend themselves successfully.

Their long-term co-evolution with other species has resulted in commensal, mimetic, mutualistic, and parasitic relationships.

Ants Are Literally Everywhere

Ants occupy vast ecological niches and exploit numerous food resources like indirect or direct herbivores, scavengers, or even predators.

Though most species of ants are omnivores generalists, some are even specialist feeders. 

Ants Have Unique Body Parts

Ants are very different in morphology than other insects. They have geniculate or elbowed antennae, a node-like petiole, and metapleural glands. The head, metasoma, and mesosome are an ant’s three distinct body parts.

Ants Have an Exoskeleton

Similar to other arthropods, ants also have an exoskeleton. This external covering offers a protective casing around the ant’s body and also serves as a point of attachment for muscles. 

Insects do not have any lungs; hence, oxygen and carbon dioxide can pass through their exoskeletons through tiny valves known as spiracles. 

Thus, ants are one of our planet’s most beautiful and exciting insects. At the end of this article, we learned 26 amazing facts about this exciting insect, ants. To learn more interesting facts, you can visit our website.

Key Takeaways:

Ants are social insects that have adapted to various habitats and play important roles in ecosystems as predators, decomposers, and seed dispersers.

Ants have complex social structures, with specialized roles for different colony members, including workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals.

Some ant species are considered pests, causing damage to crops and buildings, while others have cultural and medicinal significance for humans.

Studying ants can provide valuable insights into social behavior, ecology, and the coevolution of insects and plants.