The term “wood ants” is used to describe 2 types of ants: true wood ants and wood-infesting ants. Despite being called the same name though, these 2 types of ants are very much different. For example, true wood ants refer to soil-nesting ants from the Formica rufa species group while wood-infesting ants refer to the…
Yes, ants do eat worms. Ants are omnivorous and as such, will feed on pretty much anything they can get their mandibles on. Worms are no exception. For the most part, ants simply eat dead worms they find lying around. However, there are some predatory ants such as the ever notorious red fire ants that…
Ants do eat cockroaches, especially dead ones. Most ants don’t bother live roaches and only eat dead ones that they come across when they forage and try to find food. However, there are aggressive species such as the red imported fire ants (RIFA) and Argentine ants that prey on them. These aggressive ants, when possible,…
Most of us were probably taught that ants live in ant hills or mounds when we were kids. Yet aside from this basic association, many don’t exactly know what these mounds are and why ants build them. Boring as these piles of soil may seem, these mounds actually hold an interesting story behind their existence…
Carpenter ants are dark, large ants from the Camponotus genus which get their name from their habit of excavating and nesting in wood. They target moist and dry wood for their nests and chew through them to create smooth and polished galleries in which they’ll live. These ants are one of the most notorious wood-infesting…
Moisture ants refer to a number of ant species in the Lasius and Acanthomyops genera. These ants get their name from their attraction to moist environments and need for plenty of water to survive. They’re also notorious for being wood-infesting ants which specifically target damp or rotting wood for nesting. In this article, we’ll look…
Yes, ants do eat bees. While the vast majority of ant species won’t harm bees, most will eat them when they’re dead. There are also certain ants such as carpenter ants, and fire ants, which not only eat dead bees but will also target and raid weakened bee hives for bees, their brood, honey, and…
As insects, ants have a total of six legs connected to the thorax, the middle segment of the insect body exclusively adapted for locomotion. These legs are jointed, much like the ant body, and consist of several segments which allow for efficient mobility despite the presence of the exoskeleton. In this article, we’ll discuss if…
Ants don’t eat wood. However, there are some ant species like carpenter ants, that may destroy wood as they chew through it to build their nests. So while they don’t necessarily consume wood for nutrition, they can still do considerable damage. In this article we’ll discuss why and how some ants destroy wood, which species…
Yes, ants are attracted to honey. Honey contains a good amount of substances including sugar and water which ants need for survival. To ants, honey is an attractive source of energy and nutrition. In this article we’ll look into the composition of honey and determine why exactly ants are attracted to it. What Is Honey…