Ants are eusocial insects from the Formicidae family, evolved from vespoid ancestors during the Cretaceous period and counting over 13,800 described species out of an estimated total of about 22,000. Their body is divided into head, thorax, and abdomen (gaster) connected by a narrow “waist,” and their bent antennae and petioles (one or two segments between thorax and abdomen) are defining features for this group. Their exoskeleton varies from yellow to black, and worker length can range from 0.75 mm to 52 mm, reflecting the extraordinary diversity of morphological and ecological adaptations in Earth’s terrestrial environments.
Habits
Ants live in complex colonies with specialized castes (queens, workers, soldiers, males), cooperating in nest building, brood care, and food gathering. Most species establish coordinated foraging trails through pheromones, some even creating ant “highways” between the nest and food sources, with activity being predominantly diurnal.
Reproduction
New colonies are formed through nuptial flights: fertilized queens lose their wings, search for a nest founding site, and lay eggs that hatch into larvae, pupae, and adults, with differentiation into queens or workers depending on larval feeding and genetic factors.
Distribution
Ants have a cosmopolitan distribution, occupying almost all terrestrial habitats on Earth except for polar regions and some isolated islands; they can be found from deserts and savannas to tropical forests and urban environments.
