ants

Ants are a large family of eusocial insects in the family Formicidae, within the order Hymenoptera. They inhabit nearly every terrestrial habitat, from rainforests to deserts, and often form complex, cooperative societies that can include thousands or millions of individuals.

A colony typically consists of queens that reproduce, sterile workers that gather food and care for the young, and males whose main role is to mate with the queen. Some species have multiple queens. Reproduction usually occurs through a nuptial flight in which winged males and females mate, after which new colonies are founded. Other species spread by budding, where a portion of the colony migrates to establish a new nest nearby.

Ants communicate primarily through chemical pheromones, but also rely on tactile and vibrational signals. Trail pheromones guide foraging, while alarm and recruitment signals coordinate defense and resource collection. Foraging often involves organized labor, with workers tending to brood, defending the nest, and transporting food through the colony via trophallaxis, the mouth-to-mouth transfer of liquids.

Nests vary widely, from underground tunnels and moundified heaps to nests inside wood or plant stems. Ants are omnivorous, but many species exhibit specialized lifestyles: leafcutter ants cultivate fungi on collected foliage; some are aggressive hunters, while others farm aphids for honeydew.

There are about 12,000 described species, with many more yet to be described, and ants occupy a broad range of ecological roles, including soil modification, seed dispersal, and pest control. Some species are beneficial, while others are invasive pests in human-altered environments, illustrating the ecological and economic significance of this diverse group.