This document discusses various facts about ants: 1. There are approximately 12,000 species of ants on Earth, and they represent 25% of the total terrestrial animal biomass. 2. Ant colonies demonstrate highly organized castes and specialization, with some colonies killing thousands of pests per day or occupying areas of up to 100 square meters. 3. The largest ant species can have queens that are 6 cm long and lay millions of eggs over their lifetime.

1. Ant Hill
1

2.  During the few seconds it takes you to read these four lines:
- 40 humans and 700 million of ants are being born on Earth
- 30 humans and 500 million ants are dying on Earth »
Les fourmis, Bernard Werber
 There are about 12,000 species of ants on earth.
 They represent 25% of the total terrestrial animal biomass.
 This insect exists since 130 million years (2.5 for humanity).
 They can leave 14 days under water.
 They can resist 11 months while exposed to cesium radioactivity.
2

3.  One colony of russet ants kill : 8000 caterpillars, 3600 nymphs, 3300
butterflys per day.
 Magnans Queens can lay millions of eggs in their lives.
 The biggest queen (Dorylus nigricans) is 6 cm long.
 The Atta ant colony can occupy up to 100 square meters and move up to
40 tonnes of ground.
3

4. Different casts:
4

5. a. Princes/Princess
 Male and female who don’t work
 Copulation in the sky
 Males die
 takes her wings off
5

6. b. Queen(s)
 Monogyne and polygyne
 Metamorphose: eggs, larva, nymphs
6

7. b. Queen(s)
 Metamorphose:
eggs, larva, nymphs Nymphs
Larva
Eggs
7

8. c) Soldier
 Worker specialist
 Protect colony
8

9. d) Workers
 everybody doesn’t work (1/3)
 10% of the workers are in the outside
 Evolution :
they begin with the queen/ as a builder/ as a hunter
9

10. Order Hymenoptera
Suborder Symphyta Apocrita
Apoidea Cynidoidea Vespoidea
Superfamily (Bees) (Wasps) (Ants)
10

11. 11

12. 1. Myrmicinae
 2500 species
Myrmica rubra (red ant) Messor barbarus
12

13. 2. Formicinae
 2500 species
Lasius niger (black ant) Camponotus fallax
13

14. 3. Ponerinae
 900 species
Cryptopone ochracea
Ponera coarctata
14

15. 4. Dolichoderina
 300 species
Dolichoderus quadripunctatus Tapinoma erraticum
15

16.  Type of ant
 Weaver (Tisseuse)
 Reaper (Moissonneuse)
 Charpentiere
 Esclavagiste
 Champignionniste
16

17.  Type of ant : Weaver
leaf
17

18.  Small animals
 Proteins
 Sugar
 Seeds
18

19. Dominant species
 Ant
 Human
 Pig
 Rat
Bernard WERBER
19

20. • http://www.antweb.org/
• http://www.myrmecos.net/anttaxa.html
• http://www.antcolonies.net/
• http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/09/27/how-to-identify-queen-
ants/
20

21. Tank you
21