Ants
- Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified.
- Ants form colonies that range in size from a few dozen predatory individuals living in small natural cavities to highly organised colonies that may occupy large territories and consist of millions of individuals.
- Colonizing almost every landmass on Earth, the only places that do not have native ants are Antarctica and a few inhospitable remote islands.
- Similar to human societies, ant societies include division of labor, communication between individuals, and an ability to solve complex problems
- Their ability to exploit resources may bring ants into conflict with humans, as they can damage crops and invade buildings. Some species, such as South America’s red imported fire ant, are considered invasive in other parts of the world.
- Ants have been around for a long time. The oldest fossils of ants date to the mid-Cretaceous, about 100 million years ago
- The most common types of ants in Texas are fire ants, carpenter ants, acrobat ants, pharaoh ants, crazy ants, odorous ants, roving ants, and leaf-cutting ants.
- Fire ants are known to react aggressively to nest disturbances, including delivering a venomous bite. The bites are painful, itchy, and usually on your legs and feet. Rarely the venom causes a life-threatening reaction.
- Carpenter ants are primarily nocturnal. They do not sting but can bite. They nest in hollow trunks and branches of trees and will also make their homes in hollow doors, boxes, and the walls and ceilings of buildings.
References
Wikipedia contributors. “Ant.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Sep. 2022. Web. 28 Sep. 2022.
“Identifying Household Ants.” Insects in the City, 31 Oct. 2018, https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/household/ants-house/ent-2013/.
“Fire Ant Bites: What They Look like, Treatment & Home Remedies.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23362-fire-ant-bites.