Ants are detritivores and omnivorous insects that eat a wide variety of foods including plants, animals, fungi, and dead or rotting material. Some common types of food that ants may feed on include seeds, nectar, sap, honeydew, and meat. In this article we’ll further discuss the different types of food that ants eat, what they…
If ants went extinct the whole ecosystem would be in disarray. While ants may be tiny and may thus seem irrelevant, they are actually very important for the ecosystem and contribute largely to environmental diversity, productivity, and nutrient and energy flow. Should they disappear, many other organisms will be negatively affected and those that directly…
For as much as I have encountered ants on a daily basis, I never really thought much of them. But as I’ve learned more about them, I’ve come to find that they’re quite fantastic little critters. That’s why in this article, I’ll be sharing with you fun and interesting facts about ants. Ants Have Existed…
No, ants do not eat plants. Despite being opportunistic eaters that feed on a variety of food sources, ants don’t eat and consume grown plants. They do however, feed on plant material such as fruit, nectar, sap, and seeds. In this article we’ll learn more about ants and plants as we learn more about whether…
No, ants don’t eat leaves. While ants are known to be highly opportunistic eaters, there are no known ants that consume leaves as food. That doesn’t mean however, that ants don’t damage them. While they may not consume leaves, some ants called leafcutter ants are known to cut them down and destroy them. In fact,…
No, ants don’t pee. While their bodies may produce urine, they don’t end up urinating as most of the water is absorbed back to the body by their excretory system. In the end, they produce solid pellets of waste which they instead excrete by pooping. In this article we’ll learn more about why ants don’t…
Yes ants do poop. Ants have an excretory system that allows them to release waste from the body through pooping. In fact, not only do ants poop, they have even developed toilet habits with some creating their own toilet areas within their nests. In this article we’ll further discuss ant poop as we discuss why,…
No, ants don’t eat flowers. The reason ants often visit flowers is not because they eat them but because of the nectar that flowers produce. To ants flowers are simply a means to a sweet and attractive food source that provides sugar, amino acids, lipids, and organic compounds, all of which help them survive. That…
Carpenter ants are dangerous but not in the traditional sense. Carpenter ants aren’t known to be aggressive and don’t commonly bite humans unlike some other dangerous ants. However, carpenter ants are specifically dangerous to wooden structures and property as their nesting habits lead them to excavate and ultimately damage wood. In this article, we’ll discuss…
Some ants are spicy due to the formic acid they produce. This formic acid reacts with the tissues and receptors in the mouth to produce a burning sensation which we describe as spiciness. In this article we’ll learn more about why ants are spicy as we discuss what formic acid is, if it’s safe for…