Ants, belonging to the family Formicidae, encompass around 10,000 species of social insects that form organized colonies. They are distributed worldwide but are most abundant in tropical and subtropical regions, both in terms of population and species diversity. Ants play crucial roles in their ecosystems, with some acting as keystone species, exerting significant impacts on their ecological communities. While certain ants are deemed pests to humans, others become invasive species when introduced to areas beyond their native ranges.
During certain periods of the year, winged males and virgin queens take flight, with the queen mating with a single male. During this flight, the male transfers all the sperm the queen will need for her lifetime, which can span up to 15 years. The males perish soon after mating, and the fertilized queen establishes a new nest or assumes control of an existing one. Subsequently, the queen sheds her wings, and her wing muscles degenerate, providing nutrients for her developing offspring. Following wing loss, her ovaries become functional, initiating egg laying. In less advanced species, the queen forages for larvae food, while in more evolved forms, she feeds the first brood with stored nutrition from her own body. Surviving larvae develop into dwarf workers, which venture outside the nest to gather food for additional larvae.
The bulk of essential tasks within ant societies, such as nest construction, brood care, and nest defense, are carried out by female workers. These workers exhibit morphological and physiological differentiation, including soldiers, foragers, nest builders, and caregivers. Some ant species display highly specialized polymorphism, such as Cryptocercus ants, whose guard ants possess modified heads for guarding nest entrances exclusively. Honey ant repletes represent a unique worker type, their abdomens significantly enlarged from overfeeding. Incapable of walking, they hang within the nest as living food reserves during times of scarcity.
Ants vary in size from about 2 to 25 mm (0.08 to 1 inch) and are typically yellow, brown, red, or black, with some genera exhibiting a metallic sheen. They feature a distinctive body structure, characterized by a large head, slender abdomen, and a waist with one or two finlike extensions. Antennae are always elbowed, and they possess two sets of jaws: one for carrying and digging, and another for chewing. Certain species, like the formidable bullet ant, wield powerful stings for defense.
