Facts about Ant Colony Role Divisions
- 06
Forager ants, which leave the nest to collect food, typically represent only a small fraction of a colony's workers and are usually among the oldest members of the worker caste.
- 05
Queen ants in established colonies can live for decades, with some species documented surviving over 20 years, far outlasting workers.
- 04
Some ant species have a specialized caste called repletes, or honey pot ants, which serve as living food storage vessels by gorging on liquid until their abdomens swell enormously.
- 03
In many ant species, soldier ants have disproportionately large heads and mandibles specifically adapted for defending the colony against predators and rival colonies.
- 02
Male ants, called drones, exist solely to mate with virgin queens and die shortly after mating, contributing nothing to colony labor.
- 01
Worker ants in a colony are all sterile females, while the sole reproductive female is the queen, whose primary role is laying eggs.