Do You Know? Ants, Animals Small Group Life

Did you know the second strongest animals in the world? Ants are the second strongest animals in the world after Rhinoceros Beetle. Although his size is very small, a male ant can lift a load weighing fifty times its own weight. Incredible!

Ants, including insects of the family eusosial Formisidae and included in the order Himenoptera along with wasps and bees. This small animal group consisted of 12 000 more. Kind also vary, there are worker ants, ant males, and the queen ant.

There are also called white ants or termites and ants known velvet. Actually, termites do not have a close relationship with ants, it's just the same social structure. Velvet ant body like a big ant, but the animal is a female wasp is not winged.

Ants live in groups and each group can consist of thousands of ants. Each group is usually able to control and occupy certain areas to breed, including finding food. In addition, these animals have regular nests.

Ants and mneguasai spread to almost all parts of the land on earth. Only a few places that are not controlled, namely in Hawaii, Greenland, and Iceland.

The Origin of Ants

Ants are the descendants of generations of wasps Vespoidea. There is analysis showing that these animals have evolved from dragonflies vespoid about 120 million-170 million years ago during the Cretaceous. In this period, the fossil form is a form of middle of the ants and wasps.

In 1966, there is the discovery of fossils of ants (from the Cretaceous) in the sap of trees found by EO Wilson with his friend in New Jersey. This fossil has been outstanding for more than 80 million years. This fossil discovery provides evidence that modern ants and wasps have a relationship. Ants in this period the characteristic blend of modern ants and wasps.

Shape and Body Composition 

In general, the body of ants is divided into three parts, namely the head, chest, and abdomen. Compared with other insects that also has an antenna (the organs of touch animals), ant morphology more clearly.

Like insects in general, the ant's body also has the outer frame. This framework serves as a place providing protection and muscle attached. The nervous system consists of a small animal muscle in the ventral nerve throughout the body.

A pair of antennas located at the head of an ant. This antenna serves to detect chemical stimuli. In addition, the antenna is also used to communicate with other ants. Her eyes can detect movement very well.

Ants have three pairs of legs in the chest. To be able to climb and stand, at each end of the legs have claws. In general, the ants have wings. Ant females will release their wings after mating and become queen of the ants without wings. Types of ants that has no wings is ant worker and soldier ants.

The last part is the abdomen. In this section, there are some important internal organs (including reproductive organs). To paralyze prey and protect the nest, there are several types of ants that use sengatnya, such as Formica ant species yessensis. Ants of this species have glands that produce formic acid can be sprayed into the enemy.