Man has been living "side by side" with ants for thousands of years. They have learned to adapt to different climatic conditions. Able to be organized and cohesive. The most popular question about them is: how much can an ant lift?
There are about 13,000 species of these insects and their total mass is up to 25% of the total mass of land animals. Ant's closest relatives are bees and wasps.
Description
The family of ants belongs to Hymenoptera. The size of these insects is from 1 to 50 mm, depending on the species. Their body is elongated, has three segments: head, mesosome and abdomen. The ant has a chitinous shell that protects its body.
Cranked antennae serve as an organ of communication. This sense organ is designed to read information from other ants with air currents or vibrations.
The ant has poor eyesight, but distinguishes movements perfectly. It has two compound compound eyes and three extra eyes to help judge light levels.
On the headThe ant has strong mandibles, the power of which depends on the species. The insect defends itself with them, carries food and building materials. How much weight an ant can lift is judged by various studies.
Each foot of the little creature is equipped with a claw, thanks to which it easily climbs vertical surfaces.
Almost all queens and males have wings, but after fertilization, the female gets rid of them on her own. Workers do not have organs for flight and developed organs for reproduction.
Lifestyle
Ants are insects with a high level of socialization. They form families (colonies), the number of which can reach several million individuals. Ants have three castes.
Females are queens. Females with a developed reproductive system are highly valued. They have wings and an impressive size. A sexually mature female leaves the nest for mating and further equips a new separate nest. Females of some species are introduced into the anthill of another species. The job of the female is to lay eggs. She mates once in her life. She does not need a male to lay her eggs.
Male. These ants also possess wings and the ability to reproduce. Sexually mature individuals leave the nest together with future queens and fertilize them. After mating, they die after a while.
Workers. This caste is the most numerous and consists of females with an undeveloped reproductive system. They are engaged in various activities. The youngest of them take care of the eggs and larvae. Older ants are engaged in searching for food, guarding the nest. The oldest individuals look after the pantries.
How much can a working class ant lift? The weight he lifts can be many times his own weight.
Ants build nests (anthills) on the ground, underground, in tree trunks and in human dwellings. These houses are built from earth and plant components. The anthill consists of many passages, corridors and chambers, thousands of entrances and exits.
Summer rooms are located at the top, and winter rooms are in the thickness of the earth. There is a separate chamber for the queen. The eggs she lays are taken to other rooms: "nannies" will look after them.
If the anthill is in danger, its inhabitants cooperate for a collective rebuff. Some species go to conquer other people's anthills to capture slaves.
Feeding ants
Most species of ants are predators. For normal development and vital activity, they need carbohydrates and proteins. The main consumers of protein are larvae, and carbohydrates are adults. Approximate diet of an ant:
- live and dead insects;
- fall (sweet aphid secretions);
- juices of plants and fruits;
- mushrooms and dead animals;
- plant seeds;
Foragers - working females are engaged in the extraction of food.
Ants breed aphids, for which they have shepherds and milkers. They protect their "herd" and look after it.
Many species of ants breed mushrooms for food. They set up gardens, fertilizing them with pieces of cut plants and carrion.
To search for food, foragers can move several hundred meters away from the nest. However, they are able to find the shortest way back.
How much does an ant lift
The studied insects are characterized by increased hard work and endurance. They are able to be in motion almost all day. For the greatest productivity, nature rewarded them with well-developed muscles.
How much can an ant lift (more than its own weight)? Myrmicologists have asked this question more than once. According to their research, this weight exceeds the body weight of an ant by 50 times!
If the ant is unable to cope with the transfer of the load, it drags it or cooperates with other ants.
Ant in the house
The human house for an ant is a very convenient option. As a rule, it is warm here, relatively safe and there is an opportunity to find food.
Domestic ants love houses built in swampy areas. They especially like the dwellings of the sluts, whose houses are in disarray. Old repairs, the result of which are outgoing skirting boards and wallpaper, cracked walls, voids in tiles - favorable conditions for building a nest.
Ants love leftover food: crumbs, sugar crystals, fats, pet food. Unwashed dishes, dirt in the restroom contribute to the prosperity of the ant family.
The ant is one of the most amazing species of insects. The organization of their family life resembles human society. They have always attracted people. That is why questions, like how much an ant can lift, will interest humanity for many years to come. Especially because a huge number of species of these insects have not yet been studied.
