They are very strange creatures and are a subject of persistent study by entomologists and scientists.
Ants are one of the most common insects we see almost every day, maybe in your room, your office premise, etc. Till now 10,000 known ant species have been discovered.
Insects’ life span is not much and some have a lifespan of only a few days and some have a life span of just a few hours. Many insects have longer life spans which can be of months and ants are one of them. But technically ants have the longest life span as a type of ant named Pogonomyrmex Owyheei that can live up to 30 years. They inhabit the deserts and arid grasslands of the American West at or below 6,300 feet.
Queen ants are the one who lays eggs and produces the next generation of ants and they are the most important ant as the next generation of ants is dependent on them only as worker female ants can’t lay eggs. Queen ants who are virgins and males leave their colonies to find their mates. After mating, the queen ant drops to the ground as they mate on the leaves of trees and the male ant dies. After getting underground, the Queen ant does not eat for weeks till she lays eggs. She gets protein from the fat stores. The sperm Queen got from the male helps her to continue laying fertilized eggs for her entire life and a Queen egg never mates again.
Ants play a beneficial role in the ecosystems globally and their roles are different. Many variants of ants work as biological control agents. Ants help our ecosystems by scattering seeds, pollinating plants, and improving the quality of soil which is very beneficial for farmers. Ants are also a potential source of new medicines such as antibiotics. So next time, you are about to kill or step on an ant, think about the things mentioned here.
