How Do Ants Hold Food?
WouterDuring famine, ants work together to share food. They also help to remove dead animals from the ground. Depending on the species, anthills can be very large and tower up into the air.
Most ants do not keep food in their nests. Instead, they rely on dead animals, such as honeydew, and the proteins of other bugs. Ants can also lay down chemical trails to find food. They can then share it with their nestmates.
Some ants also store food in their bodies. These are called storage ants. They hang from the roof of their nest deep inside the nest, and are never seen by predators. These ants are also called repletes. They are special workers, who carry food back to the nest and pass it to others.
Some ants are predaceous and are known to attack insects. Others are farmers. Some ants also tend to collect dead insects.
Some ants have strong jaws. Some species are capable of crushing seeds. Some ants have workers that can leave chemical trails to guide other workers to a particular source.
Some ants collect dead insects and eat them. Other ants collect seeds, honeydew, and other food. Some ants build tunnels deep in the soil. Other ants work as scouts, searching for food. Some ants build chambers underground to store food.
Some ants have special stomachs for storing food. These ants regurgitate food over a long period of time. The ants then pass the liquid to other ants, who use their antennae to stroke the storage ant and share the food.
