{"id":3516,"date":"2023-07-15T00:04:20","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T16:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=3516"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:10:29","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:10:29","slug":"how-long-do-ants-live","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Do Ants Live?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Ants live for a varying amount of time depending on a variety of factors. Some ants only live for weeks while some can live for years.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about how long ants live as we discuss the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Factors that affect ant lifespan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What ants have the longest lifespan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The ant life cycle<\/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\/2023\/07\/how-long-do-ants-live-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"how long do ants live\" class=\"wp-image-3520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/how-long-do-ants-live-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/how-long-do-ants-live-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/how-long-do-ants-live-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/how-long-do-ants-live.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pheidole2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Alex Wild<\/a>, CC0, 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\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Factors_that_Affect_Ant_Lifespan\" title=\"Factors that Affect Ant Lifespan\">Factors that Affect Ant Lifespan<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Caste\" title=\"Caste\">Caste<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Species\" title=\"Species\">Species<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Resources\" title=\"Resources\">Resources<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#How_Long_Do_Ants_Live_Without_Water\" title=\"How Long Do Ants Live Without Water?\">How Long Do Ants Live Without Water?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#How_Long_Do_Ants_Live_Without_Food\" title=\"How Long Do Ants Live Without Food?\">How Long Do Ants Live Without Food?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Predation_and_Threats\" title=\"Predation and Threats\">Predation and Threats<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#What_Ants_Have_the_Longest_Lifespans\" title=\"What Ants Have the Longest Lifespans?\">What Ants Have the Longest Lifespans?<\/a><\/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\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#The_Ant_Life_Cycle\" title=\"The Ant Life Cycle\">The Ant Life Cycle<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Egg\" title=\"Egg\">Egg<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Larva\" title=\"Larva\">Larva<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Pupa\" title=\"Pupa\">Pupa<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Adult\" title=\"Adult\">Adult<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#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-15\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#What_Would_Happen_If_Ants_Went_Extinct\" title=\"What Would Happen If Ants Went Extinct?\">What Would Happen If Ants Went Extinct?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/how-long-do-ants-live\/#Summary_How_Long_Do_Ants_Live\" title=\"Summary: How Long Do Ants Live?\">Summary: How Long Do Ants Live?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Factors_that_Affect_Ant_Lifespan\"><\/span>Factors that Affect Ant Lifespan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ant lifespans vary due to a number of factors. These factors include different biological and environmental conditions. They are as follows: [<a href=\"https:\/\/bergerlab.med.upenn.edu\/research-focus\/ant-behavior\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/bergerlab.med.upenn.edu\/research-focus\/ant-behavior\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Caste\"><\/span>Caste<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\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\/04\/what-do-queen-ants-do-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"what do queen ants do\" class=\"wp-image-2514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-do-queen-ants-do-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-do-queen-ants-do-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-do-queen-ants-do-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/what-do-queen-ants-do.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Ant_queen_Camponotus_Pilicornis.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">AStronotuss<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">CC BY 4.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Caste is a big determining factor of lifespan within ant colonies. <strong>Queens live the longest among all ant castes. Following them are the workers, and then the males.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Queens: <\/strong>Queen ants are the lifeline of the colony. As the most important caste, queens live the longest. They can live from a few years to decades.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Workers:<\/strong> Worker ants are secondary to queens in terms of importance. Without them, queens are essentially left for dead. Some workers can live for years but most can only live for months.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Drones:<\/strong> Drones are born for the sole task of mating with virgin queens. Apart from that, they don&#8217;t do much for the colony. They die shortly after mating.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Species\"><\/span>Species<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Lifespan varies depending on the ant species. <strong>Some species can live for years while some only last months.<\/strong> Here are the lifespans of some common ant species:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><strong>Ant Species<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Average Lifespan (Workers)<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Average Lifespan (Queens)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Carpenter Ant<\/td><td>0.5-7 years<\/td><td>10+ years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fire Ant<\/td><td>5+ weeks<\/td><td>7+ years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Leafcutter Ant<\/td><td>3-7 months<\/td><td>20+ years<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pharaoh Ant<\/td><td>2-3 months<\/td><td>4-12 months<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pavement Ant<\/td><td>5 years<\/td><td>15-20 years<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Resources\"><\/span>Resources<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The availability and quality of resources play a crucial role in an ant&#8217;s lifespan. <strong>Access to food, water, and suitable nesting materials can promote a longer lifespan.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\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\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/are-ants-attracted-to-water-3.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Otherwise, ants may starve or dry out. Also, without proper shelter, ants may be susceptible to extreme conditions. These conditions, such as extreme heat or cold, can cause death and impact lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Do_Ants_Live_Without_Water\"><\/span>How Long Do Ants Live Without Water?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Water is as vital to ants as other animals. <strong>Without water, they can only live around 5 to 10 days before drying out.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Do_Ants_Live_Without_Food\"><\/span>How Long Do Ants Live Without Food?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants are quite tenacious. While they can\u2019t live long without water, they can exist for many days without food. Depending on species and condition, <strong>ants can live from a few weeks to a hundred days without eating.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Predation_and_Threats\"><\/span>Predation and Threats<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\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\/2021\/09\/Are-Zombie-Ants-Real-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2058\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Are-Zombie-Ants-Real-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Are-Zombie-Ants-Real-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Are-Zombie-Ants-Real-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Are-Zombie-Ants-Real.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants face various threats from predators, parasites, and pathogens. The presence of natural enemies can reduce an ant&#8217;s lifespan. <strong>Constant predation or disease transmission can lead to premature death.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, <strong>pesticides and other human-induced hazards can also negatively impact ant lifespan.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Ants_Have_the_Longest_Lifespans\"><\/span>What Ants Have the Longest Lifespans?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants with the longest lifespans include the black garden ant Lasius niger. <strong>A queen Lasius niger ant has the longest recorded adult life of any insect. <\/strong>This queen lived for more than 28 years in captivity. [<a href=\"https:\/\/entnemdept.ufl.edu\/walker\/ufbir\/chapters\/chapter_34.shtml#:~:text=A%20queen%20ant%20Lasius%20niger,from%20adult%20emergence%20to%20death).\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/entnemdept.ufl.edu\/walker\/ufbir\/chapters\/chapter_34.shtml#:~:text=A%20queen%20ant%20Lasius%20niger,from%20adult%20emergence%20to%20death).\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Western harvester ant queens also have estimated lifespans of 14 to 30 years.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Ant_Life_Cycle\"><\/span>The Ant Life Cycle<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\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-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"Do Ants Molt\" class=\"wp-image-2406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Do-Ants-Molt-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Do-Ants-Molt-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Do-Ants-Molt-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Do-Ants-Molt.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<p>Ants go through a <strong>complete metamorphosis<\/strong>. Their life cycle consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.antwiki.org\/wiki\/The_Ant_Life_Cycle\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.antwiki.org\/wiki\/The_Ant_Life_Cycle\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Egg\"><\/span>Egg<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The ant life cycle begins when a female ant lays eggs.<\/strong> Ant eggs are soft, tiny, and oval-shaped. Fertilized eggs become female workers while unfertilized eggs become drones. That said, not all eggs hatch into adults. Some are fed to larvae for nourishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Larva\"><\/span>Larva<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After a few weeks, ant <strong>eggs hatch into worm-shaped larvae<\/strong>. These larvae have no eyes or legs. They&#8217;re eating machines that rely on worker ants for food. They grow and molt several times as they go through different instars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pupa\"><\/span>Pupa<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When a larva grows large enough, it metamorphoses into a pupa and enters the pupal stage. The pupa is a <strong>transitional stage between the larva and the adult ant<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During this stage, significant changes occur. Physical features like eyes, legs, and wings start to appear. In the pupal stage, ants look more like adults with folded legs and antennae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adult\"><\/span>Adult<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>After around 6 to 10 weeks, the fully developed adult ant emerges.<\/strong> This newly emerged adult is soft and pale but gradually hardens and darkens after a few hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The adult ant takes on the characteristics of its species. They also take on various roles within the colony such as workers or reproductives.<\/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-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/what-would-happen-if-ants-went-extinct-2-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/what-would-happen-if-ants-went-extinct-2-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/what-would-happen-if-ants-went-extinct-2-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/what-would-happen-if-ants-went-extinct-2-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/what-would-happen-if-ants-went-extinct-2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image by <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/0fjd125gk87-51581\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3505783\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">0fjd125gk87<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/\/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3505783\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Would_Happen_If_Ants_Went_Extinct\"><\/span>What Would Happen If Ants Went Extinct?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If ants were to become extinct, then that&#8217;s bad news for the whole ecosystem. Ants are very important and contribute largely to the ecosystem. They play a role in environmental diversity, productivity, and nutrient flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Should they disappear, many other <strong>organisms will be negatively affected<\/strong>. Those that directly depend on them <strong>may face extinction<\/strong> as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See this article to learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/what-would-happen-if-ants-went-extinct\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3065\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what might happen if ants went extinct<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary_How_Long_Do_Ants_Live\"><\/span>Summary: How Long Do Ants Live?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To summarize, ant lifespans vary depending on caste, species, resources, and threats. Some ants like pavement ants can live for more than 5 years while fire ants only live for weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As far as caste goes, queens live the longest and drones the shortest. Some queens can live for decades whereas drones die shortly after mating. Worker ants are in the middle. They can live for months and sometimes years depending on the species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ants live for a varying amount of time depending on a variety of factors. Some ants only live for weeks while some can live for years. In this article, we\u2019ll learn more about how long ants live as we discuss the following: Factors that Affect Ant Lifespan Ant lifespans vary due to a number of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3520,"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\/3516"}],"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=3516"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3688,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3516\/revisions\/3688"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}