How Much Ants Die a Year
WouterSeveral species of ants are capable of living for up to three decades. However, ants do not live forever, and their life span is largely determined by the role they play in the colony.
Queen ants are in charge of controlling the colony. They lay eggs and produce larvae. When the queen dies, the colony is left without a replacement. When food runs out, the queen ants ration out food portions to the workers.
In the colony, workers are in charge of feeding the queen and young. They are constantly looking for food. They are also in charge of maintaining the nest. These workers use a huge amount of energy.
Queen ants are much more likely to live a long time than their worker counterparts. The queen will lay eggs throughout her lifetime. When the queen dies, the colony can survive for several months or years.
Ants are capable of living for as long as three decades, but their average life span is only a year. They are also capable of living in large colonies, with millions of ants.
In the wild, most ants never reach their life expectancy. They die in less than a week. This is because ants have scavenging tendencies. They fall prey to other larger insects and animals. They are also vulnerable to predators such as snakes and birds.
Ants are important in many ecological processes. They help disperse plant seeds. They also help clean up dead animals and debris. They are important for nutrient cycling.
