How Long Do Ants Live on Average?

Depending on the species, ant lifespans can range from a few weeks to almost three decades. Life spans are determined by a number of factors, including food sources, predators, and environmental conditions.

Life spans can be cut short by starvation or thirst. Typically, ants survive for about five days without food or water. Ants are able to survive by absorbing oxygen through spiracles in their bodies.

Life spans can also be cut short by the death of the queen or the cannibalism of other ants. Some species, including fire ants and sugar ants, have short lifespans. Some queen ants have lived for decades.

Worker ants are responsible for caring for the young ants in the colony. They also forage for food to feed the queen. They also build a nest and defend it. Worker ants tend to live for about five weeks, but their lifespan is not as long as the queen’s.

The life span of worker ants depends on several factors, including food availability and their role in the colony. If a worker is left alone, he can live for about five years. Workers can die of starvation, however. They can also die from predators and pesticides.

Some ants, including fire ants, live for only a few weeks. Workers are often killed before their fifteenth birthday. They are usually killed by larger insects or predators. Other ants, such as thief ants, can live for up to a year.

Other species can live for a decade or more. In fact, the oldest known ant queen lived for over twenty years.