Yes, ants are cannibals. Some ants turn to cannibalism for nutrition and survival in times of scarcity. Queen and worker ants alike, practice cannibalism when needed. In 2016, scientists described a colony of ants trapped in an old nuclear bunker. These ants had no access to food and had to survive by feeding on the…
Yes, ants can see. Most ants have a visual system that consists of a pair of compound eyes and a set of simple eyes called ocelli. This visual system allows them to detect motion, light, and color. That said, there are also some ants that are completely blind. These ants include subterranean which have severely…
Yes, ants eat termites. In fact, ants are among the primary predators of termites. They actively hunt them and rely on them for nutrition. In this article, we’ll look deeper into this predatory relationship as we discuss the following: We’ll also touch on whether or not ants can serve as indicators and control agents of…
Yes, ants most certainly do fight each other. The world of ants is one of conflict and fierce battles. They wage small-scale fights to all-out wars with each other. In fact, fossil evidence suggests that ants have been fighting for at least 99 million years. [1] In this article, we’ll learn more about ant fights…
Ants carry their dead for hygienic purposes. They carry and take their dead away to keep their nests clean. In doing so, they protect themselves and their queen from contamination. This behavior is called necrophoresis. It’s a behavior rooted in survival and is commonly found in social insects like ants. [1] In this article, we’ll…
No, ants don’t eat grass. While ants are known to eat a wide range of foods, grass is not a part of their diet. Instead, ants prefer to protein-rich foods like insects and sugary substances like honeydew. In this article we’ll learn more about the following: Why Don’t Ants Eat Grass? Ants have evolved to…
Yes, ants are pollinators. While certainly not the best, ants do their part as pollen vectors. In fact, they’re known to pollinate certain plant species like Conospernum undulatum. In this article we’ll learn more about ants as pollinators as we discuss the following: What are Pollinators? Pollinators are animals that help transfer pollen from male…
No, ants are not bugs. Entomologists reserve the term bugs to describe members of the order Hemiptera. Ants are Hymenopterans and do not belong to that order. In this article, we’ll learn more about why ants are not bugs as we look into the following: We’ll also touch on the difference between bugs and insects….
Ants find food by foraging. Ant colonies regularly send out worker ants to search and collect food in the wild. In this article, we’ll dig deeper into how ants find food by discussing the following: We’ll also discuss if you should worry about ants entering your home and ways to prevent them from doing so….
Ants are decomposers and consumers. As opportunistic eaters, they eat almost everything including live and decaying matter. In this article, we’ll learn why ants are both decomposers and consumers as we discuss the following: We’ll also touch on whether ants are producers or scavengers. What are Decomposers? Decomposers are organisms that break down or decompose…