10 Facts About Ants

#1 Facts About Ants – They are Old! 

Some ant species trace their existence back to the Jurassic era! Ants first appeared in the fossil record around 130 million years ago, long before humans evolved. That means ants have been living—and thriving—on this planet for much longer than we have!
This resilience is one factor that makes ants so difficult to fight once they infest an area. Maybe ants can teach us all a lesson in survival!

#2 Impressive Facts About Ants – They are Outrageously Strong

The average ant is tiny, weighing only about 0.0000035 ounces (an average paperclip weighs about 0.0014 ounces). But despite their diminutive size, ants are surprisingly strong and can lift ten times their own weight! 

That’s like an adult human lifting a car and carrying it! An ant’s strength makes them an effective worker, especially when hundreds flood the kitchen. Their body structures are light enough to lift with only their hard exoskeletons.   

#3 – They are Inescapable 

Ants live on every continent except Antarctica, which makes them one of the most successful species on earth. In fact, there are over one million ants for every human on the planet! Of course, that means we would have a real problem if ants were any bigger. 

Ants stretch across the globe, everywhere you go, making them not a possibility but a certainty. This fact about ants supports why quarterly pest control and ant control are critical for your home. 

#4 Unknown Facts About Ants – Ants Can Live Underwater?

Most species of ants cannot survive being submerged underwater for long periods, but some exceptions exist. For example, the Bully Ant (also known as the Fishing Ant or Myrmecia gulosa) can survive being submerged underwater for up to three hours by trapping air bubbles underneath its wings! The Polyrhachis Sokolova is another species native to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Island of Caledonia.

#5 – Queen Ants Can Live For Up To 30 Years

Queen ants can live for up to 30 years, which is incredibly long compared to other insects. Worker ants typically only live for a few months, so it’s clear why queen ants play an essential role in ant colonies!
Surviving this long is a rarity because survival among insects is often short-lived due to predators and harsh living conditions. The lavish life of a Queen Ant is not just lounging in royalty; they are responsible for keeping the entire colony moving forward.
Bonus Facts About Ants: Males leave the colony after reproducing with the Queen; most do not live for more than two weeks.

#6 – There are Thousands of Species  

There are more than 12,000 species of ants worldwide, and we continue to discover new species almost yearly. They range in size from just a few millimeters long up to two or three centimeters long. North America has over one thousand known ant species, and Oregon is home to 97. 

The Carebara Bruni is the smallest ant in the world, growing no more than eight-tenths of a millimeter. In contrast, the largest ant in the world is the Dinoponera, which can grow up to 3 centimeters! 

#7 – They have Multiple Eyes

Most ant species’ eyes consist of thousands of individual lenses that work together to create a wide field of vision. These lenses allow them to see things from multiple angles, which helps them find food and evade predators more easily.

Additionally, ants rely on antennae to help them identify those from their nests and enemies. More facts about ants are they use pheromones to find trails when leaving the colony.

#8 Eerie Facts About Ants – Ants Are Cannibals?

Some species of ants will eat their kind as part of their diet! This is one of the scariest facts but a reality for certain species. This behavior is typically more common in tropical regions where food sources are scarce and colonies must compete for resources.

However, it is common for some ant species, like  Fire Ants and  Army Ants, to eat their own. Aggressive ant species are not picky about where their meat comes from, whereas Carpenter Ants only do it for survival.

#9 Some Ants Are Fungi Farmers 

Certain species of ants will cultivate fungi gardens within their colonies as a source of food. This process involves harvesting spores from decaying plants and planting them in special chambers within the colony. 

The Euprenolepis Procera is a newly-discovered species in South East Asia that grows mushrooms as its primary food source. Growing mushrooms dramatically reduces the need for these ants to leave the colony and harvest.  

#10 One of the Wildest Facts About Ants – The Explosive Weaver 

The Explosive Weaver ant is an aggressive species native to Southeast Asia that sometimes sacrifices its life when threatened by intruders. When disturbed, it squeezes its inner organs so tight that they explode out of its exoskeleton. 

Their bodies are full of poison that shoots everywhere and gets on the predator. This process is called “autothysis” and is done only by the worker ants since they are sterile. It is a brutal approach to survival, but the worker ants’ only purpose is harvesting resources and protecting the colony.