How Long Do Ants Live?
WouterDepending on the ant species, the life span of an ant can range from a few days to several decades. The ant’s lifespan depends on several factors, including diet, gender, caste, and living conditions.
The lifespan of a worker ant is usually a few weeks to a couple of months. The worker ants are the ones who maintain the colony and feed the larvae. They may die if the food sources run out, but they will usually resume normal eating habits once the food supply has been replenished.
The lifespan of a queen ant can range from a few weeks to several years. In most ant species, the queen lives the longest. The queen’s wings break off after mating with a male. After mating, the queen will start a new nest. The eggs she lays will produce females and males.
The lifespan of the worker ants is determined by the food sources available in the colony. Usually, the queen will ration the food she feeds her larvae. As long as the food supply is plentiful, the worker ants can live for a few weeks to a few months. However, if there is no food source in the colony, they will die.
The lifespan of the male ant is usually limited to a few weeks. The males of odorous house ants die within a week of mating. In contrast, the males of black garden ants live up to two years.
The lifespan of the female ant depends on her caste. The female worker ants usually live up to a year. She can live longer, however, if she can protect herself.
