Top 10 Most Unique Ant Species. We’ve made a blog entirely devoted to the Top 10 Most Unique Ant Species! We know that ants are one of the most common insects on this planet. They’re known for their excellent organization skills and habitation, but some of their abilities are quite unique.
One interesting thing about ants is that they live in colonies which often become a plague for humans.
1. Argentine Ants
Argentine ants are just 2.6 to 3.2mm in length. They are usually a light brown color, but some can be darker. They often live in cracks and crevices unless it’s too warm outside, where they’ll usually retreat underground for shelter. If you notice them coming out of their homes, you shouldn’t worry since they don’t sting or bite humans as a main source of food, and they’re only a threat to food.
Habitat
Argentine ants are a species of the suburbs that belong to the family of Dolichoderinae. They originated from South America but have now expanded to Europe, Africa, and the United States. Besides, these ants infest tree bases, street edges and garden beds. The argentine ants can survive in moist swamps and food residues.
Life
Do you know about the Argentine ants? Their population varies yearly and is highest in June, with fewest in January. They build a colony through the interconnection of their nests, which then drives other ants out of their infestation area. They have worker ants and numerous queen ants in each nest. If the queen loses its wings, she cannot establish new colonies. The worker ants typically produce in the spring while the queen ant’s reproduce early. Then they’ll do it all over again to form a new colony.
2. Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants, also known as Camponotus pennsylvanica, are black-colored ants that can sometimes have a contrasting red color to their real color, black.
These are segmented oval-shaped ants with an antenna and six legs. Their size ranges from one-fourth of an inch to one-half inch long. Importantly, carpenter ants rarely come into contact with people. Their powerful jaws can result in a painful bite, accompanied by a burning sensation. They also do not possess stingers, so they don’t pose any threat to humans, either.
Habitat
Carpenter ants are a species of ant that can be found in areas with cool, damp weather. They often infest shrubs or trees because they build their nests around the sources of moisture. The ants also enter buildings through wood that is vulnerable to being weakened by moisture or cracks in doors, and they can also threaten wooden structures by making tunnels in the wood. The outside appearance of wood remains smooth on the surface, but internally there are hollows created.
Life
Carpenter ants live all year round, but they are more active in certain seasons. They act like parasites and get inside trees to eat the insides. In fall and winter, when the queen’s task is to lay eggs, male and female ants won’t stay alive for long. But in spring, a mating flight happens where new colonies can start. Typically, colonies live for about three to six years. Workers excavate wood, scavenge for food, and incubate eggs.
3. Fire Ants
They are dark reddish brown and their length is generally 1/8-3/8 of an inch. They have two segment antennal clubs and the queen is longer than workers.
Fire ants have a painful sting which can cause a raised welt that lasts for 48 hours.
Habitat
Fire ants are common in the southern parts of the United States. They’re agricultural and urban pests who can enter through cracks and holes to further invade buildings. The signs of a fire ant nest will be found near logs.
Life
Ants typically live up to 18 months, while the queen lives more than seven years. The salivary secretions of the queen are digested by the larvae who feed on them. Workers look after the nest and eggs while they hunt for food.
4. Pharaoh’s Ant
Pharaoh’s Monomorium pharaonis are black-eyed ants with yellow-brown bodies and dark black legs, which possess two segments at the pedicel with six legs. They have a size range of 3.5 to 6mm for the queen and a size range of 1.5 to 2mm for workers. Plus, they possess antennas. These ants cause many pathogenic diseases – salmonella, Streptococcus pyogenes, and even enter wounds, IV bottles, and patients’ mouths – but the pain is not poisonous or harmful. Aspire to hire a better help by using an article rewriter!
Habitat
Pharaoh’s ants are native to Africa, and they’ve thrived by adapting to new environments. They’re also able to live in warmed buildings as well as hospitals, both of which have a lot of moisture. Their colonies are made up of their nests and piles of trash, just like any other ant colony.
Life
Pharaoh’s ants are tropical species; as a result, they’re most active in warm, humid climates. In the summer, Pharaoh’s ants begin to colonize. The queen mates in the nest; as a result, no swarms are visible.In addition, she can also have 10 to 12 batches in the mating season. The eggs take 38 to 42 days to transform into adult workers. These have a large colony with many reproductive females. The queen can survive for more than 12 months, while the male dies a few weeks after the breeding process. Workers usually die within 10 weeks of their final molt as adults.
5. Thief Ants
Thief ants or Solenopsis molesta are yellowish browns. These tiny ants range from 1.5mm to 2.2mm in length. They have antennas with ten segments and two enlarged clubs. These ants don’t bite but can transmit pathogens from food to humans by laying eggs on our plates, fingers, and whatever else they can find.
Habitat
Thief ants are found in nearly every environment. They can be found outdoors under rocks, wood, and other hard objects. Indoors, they infest small spaces like cabinets, loose floor moldings, wall paneling and other hidden areas. Thief ants prefer to stay near food sources such as fallen grains or dead crickets.
Life
As the temperatures rise, Thief Ant colonies begin mating flights in late summer and early fall. These reproduction months span from June to September. The swarms appear, and the ants prefer staying indoors for shelter for the weeks that follow. A Thief Ant can lay almost 105 eggs in a day, so when their swarms take over your home, you’ll have no shortage of bugs!
Wrapping Up on Top 10 Most Unique Ant Species
So far, we’ve covered the most common insects on this planet: ants. Ants are one of the most widespread types of insects in existence. The great thing about ants is how organized they are. There are about 10,000 species of ants, but due to not too much scientific knowledge, no one actually knows how many individuals exist on Earth because there’s just not enough data to confidently say that ants are more numerous than humans. You typically can identify an ant’s type by looking at their body and its three distinctive components: head, thorax, and abdomen.
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