What do the ants eat in nature?

The most numerous family of insects in the world are ants. In addition, there are quite a few species to which they are divided. Currently, there are about 6 thousand species of this insect. However, there is a high probability that not all species are studied in the world. They are related to the family Hymenoptera. A feature is the presence of a stem from one or two segments, located between the abdomen and the breast. What do the ants eat? Like almost all insects from the hymenoptera, they feed on protein and carbohydrate food. Proteins are intended for larvae and fruit-bearing females, and carbohydrates are for the life of adult individuals.

So what do the ants eat? As the protein food used by different insects, which are extracted by working individuals. It is also taken from seeds of plants or mushrooms. Some of the proteins are eaten by adult ants, as females feed on secretions of the salivary glands of workers' insects. Larvae eat the same way. Sometimes they also get pieces of insects, which are brought by working males.

And what do the ants eat to get carbohydrates? The source of these substances can be sugar on flowers, juice of trees and stuff. However, the most favorite delicacy, which is so fond of ants in nature, is aphids. Insects are lacteal juices, which are eaten by adults. Therefore, ants guard the aphid, which is a harmful insect. That is why many gardeners remove the ants from their plots.

It is worth noting that what ants eat depends on their species. One of the most common are dairy farmers. Their distinctive feature is that they, like people, contain pets (aphids, plant lice) from which they collect milk. In this case, ants guard their flocks from invasion of other insects.

Also there is a kind of reapers that feed on plant seeds, grains, dry fruits and berries. All this is stored in an anthill for the winter. This type of insect is found mainly in the steppes.

There is also a kind of ants used by their congeners for certain purposes. So, there are ants-millers, or chewers. Their purpose is that they grind various seeds, grains, etc., brought by other types of insects. After that, the individuals are killed by ants, which eliminate superfluous eaters.

There are ants that cultivate the land for the growth of mushrooms. This is due to the fact that this type of insect uses mushrooms as its food.

There are also leaf-cutting ants, which collect sheets, carry to their home, where they roll into lumps. On the surface of such balls grow special fungi, which feed on ants. And there are species that store in themselves the reserves of food that feed other individuals.

In general, ants are a secret force of nature, which until the end is still not studied. These amazing insects bring both benefit and harm to nature. But still ants are an important link in the life of fauna and flora.