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Why do ants live in colonies?


Why do ants live in colonies?
Bugs, Snails, Worms


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by Mya Kagan (whyzz writer) >> more about the author

Why do ants live in colonies?
 

Have you ever seen some hard-working ants marching to and from their anthill with things like food or building materials like dirt and leaves? While some creatures lead their lives fending only for themselves, others (like ants!) live in special groups where each member has a special job that contributes to the well-being of the whole group. When it comes to ants, this “group” is usually known as a colony.

What are some advantages you can think of to working together like a colony of ants? By using their colony system, ants are able to divide up the work needed for survival in a very organized way! The ants in a colony usually have one of three jobs: There is the Queen (who is responsible for laying lots and lots of eggs!), the males (whose main job is to mate with the Queen!), and the workers (the rest of the female ants aside from the Queen are the workers, and they are responsible for gathering food, building and maintaining the nest, and defending the group!). 

Some ant colonies have millions of members at once! Their clearly-defined colony jobs have helped them to survive and succeed! 




Anthills can be really cool to look at if you see one in your yard or on a playground. Watching the ants travel in and out of their nest can be pretty fascinating! Remember, though, to keep your distance and not to disturb the ants and their busy work. Kicking down or playing with the mound of dirt on top of the nest would hurt the ant’s home! Instead, just watch and admire from a safe distance!





The Ants Go Marching…

Here are some really neat facts about ants!

  • An ant can lift up to 20 times the weight of its own body! That’s like the equivalent of a person picking up one or two horses!!
  • It’s estimated that there are 10,000 or more species of ants in the world!
  • Have you ever learned about some ways that ants are really helpful? Among other things, ants help to break down natural wastes and disperse seeds!