Ants will typically go unnoticed for much of the time, unless of course you have an ant infestation in your home, which can cause all sorts of problems. However, there are many more facts about ants that most of us don’t even know, so hopefully this post will go some way to enlightening you.
Ants are Really Old
A study was completed by scientists from both Florida and Harvard state universities about ants. Their findings prove that ants are just as old as dinosaurs and they were first seen on this earth as long as 130 million years ago. So, we are aware that they are extremely durable creatures, but it appears they have been through just about everything mother-nature has ever thrown at them.
There Are More Ants Than You Think
The world’s population of ants far outweighs the mere 7 billion human beings on this earth. In fact, the researchers who produced the extremely interesting book, “The Ants”, which also happened to win a Pulitzer prize estimate that there is a total of 10,000,000,000,000,000 alive on earth at any given moment in time.
[Related Post: Why You Should Think Twice About Killing That Spider]
Ants Believe in Slavery
Ants practice what is known as “dulosis”, which is simply raiding other ant’s nests and colonies and stealing their larvae and eggs. The baby ants that have been acquired through this practice will either then be eaten or made to work.
Therefore, the ants that partake in this practice are often referred to as “slave making ants” and over the years they have become extremely reliant on this practice. In fact, there are ants that know no different and would be unable to feed themselves if this practice of slavery wasn’t in existence.
Ants Can Grow to Be Very Big
You would think that all of the 10 trillion ants on this earth are the extremely small species that we are used to seeing, but nothing could be further from the truth. The largest ever ant discovered in the world belonged to a species known as Titanomyrma giganteum, and measured approximately 2.5 inches and had a wingspan close to six inches.
Admittedly, this species is no longer with us and the vast majority of ants are no longer than a millimetre in size, but the Africa driver ant can reach up to 2 inches in length. It is said that these ants are capable of breeding and existing in most parts of the world, so if you are suffering with an infestation problem you had better call an ant exterminator, as you don’t want to be greeted by one of the giant varieties.
Ants are Literally Everywhere
Ants have literally conquered the entire globe. Apart from the Arctic, Antarctica and a number of small islands, every single piece of land on this earth will contain a certain species of ants. And don’t believe that ant species stay in their “native” land. The Argentine ant has established itself in 15 different countries around the world, and this covers a total of six continents.
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