Sunday, November 27, 2011

Several Types Of Ants

By Anne Merlin


Ants are seen all over the planet, from the hottest deserts to the lush green rainforests. They can be seen in our yards, in our homes, & even in our workplaces. Ants live in colonies, & a single colony may have over a million ants. There are many different kinds of ants. Some of the better-known varieties are the army ants, bulldog ants, driver ants, fire ants, honeypot ants, leafcutter ants, silver ants, and weaver ants. Ant colonies are comprised of three classes of ants, specifically the workers, the soldiers, & the lone queen.

Ants are of different types & are one of the most common creatures in the world. In spite of their tiny appearance, they may pose a threat to humans as well as animals.

Ant behavior may be different depending on their class. Ants' color may vary from black or red to brown & their size vary from 2 to 25mm.

Army ants and driver ants are highly developed ants. Army ants are found in South America & driver ants are found in Africa. Unlike other species, they do not have permanent nests. These colonies reproduce by two methods - nuptial flights or fission.

Ants that make their nests in trees by putting leaves together are known as weaver ants. These creatures first force the leaves together with a bridge of workers & then they sew the leaves by pressing silk producing larvae on the leaves.

Honeypot ants generally have enlarged bellies. These ants are typically found in hot, dry places such as deserts in Australia, Africa & North America. In some places, they are considered a great delicacy.

Leafcutter ants live only within their colony & feed only on fungus. They come in various sized classes to carry out several duties that are to be executed in the colony.

Another unique type of ant is the fire ant. These ants have a sac of poison that is filled with piperidine alkaloids.

The Australian bulldog ants are those with only 1 chromosome and these are amongst the biggest & most primitive varieties of ants.




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