Ants are insects unlike any other. They possess abilities that, in some cases, rival human capabilities. It is believed that thousands of ants in a single anthill act as a unified, living organism. Their intricate, cooperative societies with specialized roles enable them to survive and thrive. This portal highlights ten remarkable facts about ants, showcasing why these creatures rank among the planet’s most fascinating organisms.
1. They display superhuman strength
Ants can haul objects more than 50 times their own body weight by gripping and dragging with their jaws. Their muscles are proportionally strong, giving them leverage far beyond what their size would suggest. If a person could match those muscles, lifting a car might be possible with the right effort and technique.
2. Soldier ants seal entrances with their heads
In some species, soldiers have heads shaped to block nest entrances. They stand at the doorway, preventing intruders from entering while allowing colony members to pass after a quick touch that signals belonging.
3. They interact with plants in mutual ways
Myrmecophyte plants offer hollow spaces where ants can shelter or feed. These openings can be hollow spines, stems, or leaf stalks. Ants live there, feeding on sugary plant secretions or substances produced by other sap-sucking insects. In return, the plants gain protection from herbivores and may even have parasitic plants pruned away.
4. The biomass of ants exceeds that of humans
Global human biomass is smaller than the biomass of all ants combined. In other words, ants outnumber people on Earth. Estimates suggest about 1.5 million ants per person, with more than 12,000 identified species found on every continent except Antarctica, thriving mainly in tropical regions. In some ecosystems, millions of ants can inhabit a single forest area.
5. Ants farm other insects for honeydew
Many ants cultivate sap-sucking insects like aphids to secure a steady supply of honeydew. They tend these insects, protect their eggs, and harvest the sugary secretions. This created form of farming can be harmful to plants, as aphids feed on sap from vulnerable parts and produce the sweet liquid that ants love.
6. Some ants enslave others
Certain species force members of other colonies to work for them, a behavior sometimes called social parasitism. In some cases, ants capture workers from foreign colonies to serve the dominant colony. Amazonian ants, for example, may raid neighboring nests, kill the resident queen, and drag workers back to their own colony to sustain their brood.
7. Ants date back to the age of dinosaurs
Fossil evidence shows ants evolved around 130 million years ago in the early Cretaceous. The oldest ant fossils come from ancient resins such as amber, revealing a lineage that stretches far beyond modern species and hints at a long, intricate evolutionary story.
8. Ants began farming long before humans
Ants were cultivating fungi and managing crops about 50 to 70 million years ago. They even used antimicrobial secretions to curb mold and practiced rudimentary farming techniques to boost yields, showing a level of horticultural sophistication that predates human agriculture by millions of years.
9. Global supercolonies stretch far and wide
Native to South America, Argentine ants have spread to many regions, becoming invasive in some areas. Each colony develops a unique chemical signature that helps workers recognize nestmates and spot intruders. In recent findings, very large supercolonies across Europe, North America, and Asia share this chemical language, indicating a surprising level of cohesion across vast distances.
10. Scout ants lay pheromone trails to guide foragers
Scout ants venture out in search of food, returning to the nest while leaving a trail of pheromones. Foraging ants follow these chemical markers, strengthening the path with every trip and efficiently gathering and storing resources for the colony.
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