10 interesting facts about ants. The most interesting facts about ants for children

More than 100 million years ago, ants already inhabited the Earth and almost did not undergo evolutionary changes. And today these insects accompany people, wherever they are: in their homes, on the way to work, on vacation, and all because at their extremely small size they make up to 25% of the biomass living on the surface of the planet.

Although there are more than 13,000 of their species, and they are distributed almost everywhere except Antarctica, people know far from all the interesting facts about ants.

Hard-working insects

There is a science of studying the habitat and lifestyle of these insects, which is called myrmecology. Dozens of world-class scientists, dating back to the 18th century, have devoted themselves to studying them, but so far insects surprise with their ability to adapt to circumstances, the environment and the ability to completely restore their anthill, even if it is destroyed.

The data collected by scientists can be combined into 10 interesting facts about ants, although there are many more.

The first fact that is characteristic of almost all ants, no matter where they live, is amazing diligence. It may seem to the outside observer that insects move chaotically from the anthill and back, but in fact each of them has responsibilities for the failure of which can be imposed punishment and even the death penalty.

Building a nest, protecting it, keeping cleanliness and procuring food are not the only duties of these hard-working creatures. The basis of the colony is a formed family, each member of which belongs to a certain caste.

Ants family

Interesting facts about ants concern the position of insects in the family hierarchy. This is the second point, allowing the colony to exist for many years and expand its holdings.

Any anthill begins with a small number of individuals, which grows to several million, occupying large areas. Conditionally, seven of these insects can be podazelit on females, males and "hard workers".

Regardless of the position of insects in the family, everyone must properly perform their duties - the queen can also kill, like a worker's ant. Everything is subordinated to the concept of the usefulness and significance of each individual for the development and strengthening of the colony.

The external difference between representatives of different castes is manifested in the presence of wings in males and females and their absence in workers of individuals.

The mode of birth also depends on "origin". For example, queens and workers are born from fertilized, and males from unfertilized eggs. Therefore, in red, red and black ants, the 3 stages of growing up are the egg, the larva and the pupa. No less interesting facts about the life of ants concern their queens.

The life and work of the queen ant

In each anthill there can be from one to several queens, it all depends on the size of the colony. The third important factor for a full-fledged growth of the family is the vital activity of his female. Surprisingly, the queen mates only once, and the sperm obtained must last for the rest of her life, which lasts from 12 to 20 years.

In some species of ants, the female mates with one male, going after him on a mating flight, while in others it happens with several dozens of males. After fertilization, the queen chooses to stay in the same anthill or organize a new one.

In case of leaving the nest, she must find not only an appropriate place for the organization of a new colony, but also arrange a "delivery room" where she will lay her first eggs. To maintain their lives, females of some species of ants, leaving the old nest, take for the organization and cultivation of the garden mushroom spores, which they plant in a new place. Well, is not it interesting facts about ants for children?

Ability to grow and raise food

Only 4 species of creatures on the ground deliberately breed "cattle" and grow plants in order that in a settled way of life the family does not need food - these are ants, bark beetles, termites and people. In this case, insects have several million years more experience than humans. This is the 4th fact from the life of these insects.

Some species of ants not only grow mushrooms on their own plantations, but also treat them with pesticides, which themselves "produce".

As noted by myrmecologists, regardless of which countries and on what continents are the colonies of ants that can grow mushrooms, they do it absolutely the same, as if they exchange experience with each other.

In such colonies, a selection of workers is being conducted that could qualitatively fulfill the duties of breeding and growing mushrooms, for which already trained ants become "teachers" for the young workforce. Do you think that's all? No, we continue to consider interesting facts about ants for children and not only.

Training of young animals

As it turned out, for most kinds of ants it is accepted not only to distribute duties between working individuals, but also to train them, for which they have special mentors. This is the 5th fact from the life of these amazing insects.

According to myrmecologists, ants are not born with certain skills and skills that would determine their future activities in an anthill. When the insect grows up, it is sent to the "brigade" to carry out any work, for example, cleaning, guarding, harvesting food, etc.

In order to learn new activities and practice skills, youngsters repeat what the teacher does. They learn, like human children. Each new task is more complicated, and it is given to practice previous skills.

During this process, there is constant contact between the ant-mentor and his disciple. These are also interesting facts about ants, since such behavior is peculiar only to humans and higher apes. The difference from the human school is that those who slowly fulfill their duties or do not cope with them, do not leave the following year, but are sent to other jobs where they can be useful to the colony.

Breeding other insects for food

The sixth point is the ability to herder and multiply their food. There are interesting facts about ants specially breeding aphids, caterpillars and mealybugs.

Trained individuals not only graze their "cattle" and are driven to new pastures, but they also gather nectar from them, which they consume for food.

This function is so important for the colony that the ants outstrip their "herds" in the event of leaving the anthill.

Ant slaves

In the seventh and eighth, the most interesting facts about the ants, included the clauses that they have slaves and waging wars. Only a few species of ants practice slavery, but it is the number of captured workers that determines the life in their colonies.

Hence the eighth fact that ants are waging war of conquest with the goal of gaining a foreign territory or a multitude of slaves. Captives do the same as they do in their anthill, they only provide their own labor to other people's livelihoods and do not grow their own offspring.

Cloning and burial

There are not many animals on Earth who would bury their dead relatives. This 9th fact puts ants near people and elephants. Special cleaners of an anthill take out dead individuals and put them outside the territory of the colony. This is a measure of caution, so that healthy ants do not get sick, and the hygiene of the home.

The tenth fact is the unique ability of ants to clone themselves. This is typical, for example, of fire ants and "Amazons." Whole colonies of females use parthenogenesis to reproduce themselves without the participation of males.