18 Interesting & Fun Ants Facts for Kids (2024 Updated)
When you think of an ant, you probably think of the annoying pests that sometimes inhabit your kitchen cabinets and eat all your snacks when you’re not around. However, did you know that ants are some of the most magnificent insects in the world? In this article, we’re going to look more closely at some interesting facts about ants, so let’s get right into it.
Basic Ant Facts
- Name: Ant
- Scientific classification: Formicidae
- Latin name: Formīca
- Appearance: The ant is a small small insect with a large head and a slender, ovular abdomen. Its abdomen is typically joined to its midsection by a very small waist.
- Full weight and size: The average ant can weigh up to 10 milligrams, and can grow up to 30 millimeters, depending on its species.
- Habitat: Since ants are social creatures, they typically live in structured nests with other ants in underground spaces, in trees, on above-ground mounts.
- Diet: Ants are omnivores, which means that they eat everything. They eat other creatures, insect eggs, fruits, and other plants.
- Average life expectancy: An ant’s lifespan depends on its species. Some ants live for less than a year, while others can live for up to 15 years.
Ant Scientific Classification
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Infraorder: Aculeata
- Superfamily: Formicoidea
- Family: Formicidae
10 Interesting Facts About Ants
1. Ants have lost economies billions of dollars!
Ants are considered to be a household pest in every single part of the world, so this fact might not come as much of a surprise to some of you! Researchers have discovered that over 500 invasive ant species have been found in parts of the world that they are not native to. This means that these ants most likely traveled to other countries after getting packed with luggage or cargo.
When foreign ants are introduced to an ecosystem that they do not belong to, they can kill and eat other organisms, consume resources that aren’t meant for them, and cause problems in inter-species relationships. Over the years, the damage caused by invasive ants have caused over $51 billion dollars in economic losses.
2. Ants are found all over the world.
Ants have what is known as a cosmopolitan distribution. This means that they are found in nearly every part of the world, except for some islands like Iceland, Greenland, and Antarctica. Since they can survive in different kinds of ecological conditions, their diets are not limited by the area or place that they live in.
3. The ant’s head is very powerful.
An ant’s head is one of the most powerful and useful parts of its body. The reason for this is that its head has several sensory organs, like its eyes and antennae. Every ant has compound eyes, which means that its eyes consist of multiple tiny lenses that are attached to one another.
They also have three small ocelli that can be found on the tops of their heads; the ocelli help them detect light. Ants also have two antennae on top of their heads that help them detect vibrations, air currents, and chemicals. The antennae also help them send and receive signals.
4. Ants are eaten as food in some parts of the world.
Did you know that ants are eaten as food in certain parts of the world, and are considered to be a delicacy as well? Both ants and ant larvae are eaten in countries like Colombia, Mexico, Burma, Indian, and Thailand. For example, the Mexican dish escamoles uses the eggs of two ant species in it, while in India and Burma, the green weaver ant is ground into a chutney and served with various types of curries. Additionally, red ants are served as part of an egg salad in some parts of Thailand.
5. Ants are considered to be household pests in most countries.
If you’ve ever had ants in your house, then you know they are a huge pain in the neck to deal with once they start to take over your home. People all over the world consider ants to be a major pest, particularly since they are found in kitchens and other places that store food. Aside from invading stored food sources, ants tend to damage indoor structures. They also search for and contaminate fresh water, and can even completely damage crops. Since ant colonies adapt to their environments, it is difficult for pest control services to completely get rid of the colony in it entirety.
6. Ant-keeping is a popular hobby among many.
Although ants might be considered pests to some, they are also considered to be pets to others! Ant-keeping is a fairly popular hobby among various people in Canada and Australia and became more popular in the 1950s after a game called Uncle Milton’s Ant Farm was released. Some people kept ants as a hobby, while others bought and purchased ants for the purpose of studying them.
7. The study of ants is called myrmecology.
Myrmecology is one of many branches of entomology. People that study myrmecology often attempt to understand the ways that ants use organization and networking. While scientists haven’t been able to figure out how ants use their skills to build nests and work efficiently together, they have spent years attempting to understand it.
8. Ants play an important role in storytelling all over the world.
The ant is often used a symbol to represent various virtues and characteristics that humans should have in storytelling. For instance, in the Book of Proverbs, ants represent the ideals of cooperation and hard work. In Native American Mythology, the ant was believed to be the first creature ever created, and in Aesop’s fable titled The Ant and The Grasshopper, the ant was the creature that represented industriousness and hard work.
9. Ants are very social creatures.
Ants are among the most social insects of our time! They live together in a colony made up of a large community of ants. It’s interesting to note that these creatures belong to one of three categories or classes within the colony. These classes are workers, queens, and males. The queen’s main job is to lay eggs, while the males don’t survive for a long time, and work on feeding the rest of the colony. Finally, the workers work on building the colony and helping the other ants survive.
10. Ants are omnivores.
Did you know that ants are actually omnivores? This means that they eat both plant and animal matter, and spend most of their time foraging for food. They eat other insects like spiders, beetles, and grasshoppers. They also eat grasshoppers, berries, and seeds.
Conclusion
In this article, we looked at ten different facts about ants. These creatures exist in nearly every single part of the world, and so it’s so secret that there is a ton of information available out there about them. We hope that you learned something new from this article, and that you feel inspired to learn more about these creatures in the future.