How Fast Ants Grow
WouterDepending on the species, the life of an ant can last from a few weeks to 15 years. This lifespan depends on the amount of nutrition the ant gets and how well it performs its role in the colony. It is also determined by the type of food that the ant eats.
Ants are hard workers, and they are dedicated to foraging food and building a home for themselves and their family. Some species also protect themselves from predators by spinning cocoons to conceal themselves.
Generally, ants have four stages in their life cycle. These stages include the egg, larva, pupa, and adult. There are three main castes in an ant colony: workers, queens, and male drones. These castes are all vital to the survival of the colony. The number of workers in the colony is determined by the type of food the ants eat.
Ant eggs are tiny and oval. They are white and translucent. They are protected by a hard exoskeleton. They also contain a soft egg-like yolk that helps them to hatch.
Ant larvae are transparent and worm-shaped. They lack legs, but have hooked hairs that allow them to attach to other ants. The larvae eat food regurgitated by adult ants. The larvae grow rapidly and undergo several molts. After several molts, they pupate.
The pupa phase of an ant life cycle lasts between nine and 30 days. The pupae start out whitish, but gradually darken. It is the last stage of development before the ant metamorphoses into an adult insect.
