{"id":2405,"date":"2022-03-17T18:28:58","date_gmt":"2022-03-17T10:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2405"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:13:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:13:08","slug":"do-ants-molt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Ants Molt?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Yes, ants do molt. Molting is an important process in the ant&#8217;s life cycle. It is through molting that they undergo metamorphosis and grow from larvae to adult ants. In fact, ants molt multiple times before they mature.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about ants and molting as we discuss the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Definition of molting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When do ants molt?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why do ants molt?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do ants molt?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-molt-b-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"do ants molt\" class=\"wp-image-3352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-molt-b-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-molt-b-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-molt-b-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/do-ants-molt-b.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:CSIRO_ScienceImage_1651_Ant_species_Onychomyrmex_with_larvae.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">CSIRO<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">CC BY 3.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#What_Is_Molting\" title=\"What Is Molting?\">What Is Molting?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#When_Do_Ants_Molt\" title=\"When Do Ants Molt?\">When Do Ants Molt?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#Why_Do_Ants_Molt\" title=\"Why Do Ants Molt?\">Why Do Ants Molt?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#How_Do_Ants_Molt\" title=\"How Do Ants Molt?\">How Do Ants Molt?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#Larval_Instars_In_Ants\" title=\"Larval Instars In Ants\">Larval Instars In Ants<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#Related_Questions\" title=\"Related Questions\">Related Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#Do_Ants_Go_Through_Complete_Metamorphosis\" title=\"Do Ants Go Through Complete Metamorphosis?\">Do Ants Go Through Complete Metamorphosis?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#How_Long_Do_Ants_Live\" title=\"How Long Do Ants Live?\">How Long Do Ants Live?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-molt\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Molting\"><\/span>What Is Molting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Molting is the biological process in which an animal sheds or replaces a part of its body. It typically involves an outer layer or covering and other parts like hair, horns, and skin. It occurs regularly or at certain points in an animal&#8217;s life cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For ants and other arthropods, molting is technically called ecdysis. It involves the shedding of their hard outer shell, the exoskeleton.<\/strong> [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ecdysis\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ecdysis\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Do_Ants_Molt\"><\/span>When Do Ants Molt?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ants exclusively molt during the larval stage of their development. <\/strong>During this stage, ants take the form of worm-like creatures called larvae.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These larvae look nothing like adult ants. They have no eyes, or limbs, and can only really do one thing, eat.\u00a0They rely on workers for a constant supply of food which they gobble up to grow rapidly. As they grow, they molt several times to accommodate changes in size.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Ants_Molt\"><\/span>Why Do Ants Molt?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants molt or undergo ecdysis to grow. Unlike us humans, ants don\u2019t have soft flexible skin. Instead, they have hard rigid exoskeletons.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These exoskeletons don\u2019t stretch and therefore, become barriers to development. As ant larvae grow, they have to molt and shed their exoskeletons. Otherwise, they&#8217;d get crushed and fail to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Essentially, molting permits metamorphosis. It is through it that the larvae develop into pupae and eventually adult ants.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Molt\"><\/span>How Do Ants Molt?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Molting begins when an ant larva grows to a certain size.<\/strong> When it does, stretch receptors in the body trigger the release of the hormone ecdysone. This ecdysone initiates <strong>apolysis<\/strong> or the separation of the old cuticle from the underlying epidermal cells.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After separation, the epidermal cells <strong>secrete molting fluid<\/strong>. This molting fluid takes up space between the old cuticle and the epidermis. Its purpose is to digest the lower regions of the old cuticle. However, it stays inactive until the upper part of the new cuticle has been formed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While secreting molting fluid, the epidermal cells also <strong>secrete the cuticulin layer<\/strong>. This cuticulin layer eventually becomes part of the new exoskeleton&#8217;s epicuticle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column has-theme-palette-7-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Physiology of ecdysis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"378\" height=\"316\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-1.png 378w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-1-300x251.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 378px) 100vw, 378px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"378\" height=\"316\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-2.png 378w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-2-300x251.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 378px) 100vw, 378px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"378\" height=\"316\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-3.png 378w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/The-arthropods-moulting-3-300x251.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 378px) 100vw, 378px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">Halvard\u00a0: from Norway., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Once this layer is fully formed, the molting fluid activates and <strong>breaks down the old cuticle<\/strong>. Doing so recycles amino acids and chitin that become the inner layer of the new exoskeleton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the old cuticle is being digested, the <strong>new procuticle is laid down and formed<\/strong>. Once this is done, the new exoskeleton is ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, the larva starts shedding the old exoskeleton. It <strong>splits the old exoskeleton<\/strong> by contracting its muscles and taking in air to cause its body to swell. Once split, the larva extricates itself and emerges with a new exoskeleton and physical features.\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bionity.com\/en\/encyclopedia\/Ecdysis.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.bionity.com\/en\/encyclopedia\/Ecdysis.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Larval_Instars_In_Ants\"><\/span>Larval Instars In Ants<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instars are developmental stages between each molt. <\/strong>These instars are characterized by physical changes manifest in the larval body. In ants, these physical changes may include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Altered body proportions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Color<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hair growth&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Head width and structure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, <em>Messor aciculatus<\/em> have 3 instars. These instars have the following distinguishing characteristics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Instar 1<\/strong>: Cranium width: 0.24-0.30mm; Very minute hairs on the head prothorax; mandibles with one acute medial toot; No recognizable spinules on the basal half of medial surface.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Instar 2<\/strong>: Cranium width: 0.29-0.33mm; Short and sparse hairs on head and body; Mandibles with several spinules in addition to one medial tooth; Maxillary palp a rather wide frustum and galea a slender frustum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Instar 3<\/strong>: Cranium width: 0.33-0.37mm; Body hairs abundant on the whole surface, Antenna with three sensilla; Mandibles small; One acute medial tooth; Basal half of medial surface with several long spinules; Maxillae lobose; Palps paxilliform; Galea digitiform.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, instars of <em>M. aciculatus<\/em> differ in cranium width, mandibles, and body hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Myrmelachista catharinae<\/em> ants have very similar instars. They have an estimated number of 3 instars. These instars differed in terms of the head capsule, mandibles, and body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Questions\"><\/span>Related Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"An incredible moment when an ant larva creates a cocoon! (timelapse)\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ftpQSu8t3HA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Go_Through_Complete_Metamorphosis\"><\/span>Do Ants Go Through Complete Metamorphosis?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yes, ants go through complete metamorphosis.<\/strong> Their immature forms look very different from their adult forms. Their life cycle includes 4 stages: the egg, larva, pupa, and adult.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Do_Ants_Live\"><\/span>How Long Do Ants Live?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ants can live for weeks or decades<\/strong> depending on the species and their status in the colony. Ants with episodic roles tend to live the shortest. Males for example only live for weeks and die shortly after they mate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Workers, on the other hand, live longer as they fulfill an important role in colony growth. That said, they don\u2019t outlast queens which in some species may live up to decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check this article to learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/ant-colony-structure\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2516\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ant colony structure.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To summarize, yes ants molt. They molt multiple times during the larval stage of their development. They do so to continue growing as they go through the process of metamorphosis. If they fail to molt, they end up getting crushed by their exoskeletons and fail to develop into adults.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, ants do molt. Molting is an important process in the ant&#8217;s life cycle. It is through molting that they undergo metamorphosis and grow from larvae to adult ants. In fact, ants molt multiple times before they mature. In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about ants and molting as we discuss the following: What Is&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3352,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2405"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3732,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405\/revisions\/3732"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}