How Do Ants Take Care of Their Young?

ants are social insects that live in colonies. They are also known as foragers because they forage for food. Some species eat small animals while others specialize in honeydew produced by other insects. They are also known to host other insects as guests.

Ants can live for years. They are also capable of lifting up to 20 times their own weight. They have excellent senses of smell and direction. They also have two stomachs. One is their true stomach, where they digest part of their food, and the other is their social stomach, where they store food.

When an ant finds food, it leaves chemical trails to indicate where it found it. They can also detect intruders by scent. Some species build nests in vegetation, under firewood piles, or under siding on homes.

Ants live in colonies, which can include millions of members. They may build nests under debris or decaying tree stumps. Some species pile large heaps of earth on top of their nests.

During the winter, some ants build nests in the ground. Others spend the winter in stumps or logs. Many species of ants live in colonies that contain thousands of square yards of territory.

Workers are born all the time during the colony’s lifetime. They tend to the queen’s body and the eggs and larvae of the colony. After workers emerge, the queen stops tending to the brood.

When a queen dies, other ants may retaliate with bites or stings. They may also be killed when food shortages occur.