There are more than 10,000 known ant species across the globe that range in size from 1 to 30 millimeters in length. While household ants may be a nuisance to your home, all ants are fascinating creatures with many amazing abilities.
Ants are Super Strong
Ants can carry up to 50 times their body weight because their muscles have a greater cross-sectional area compared to other animals. Because of this, they can exert much more force.
Ants Don’t have Lungs or Ears
Ants are able to breathe without lungs through a series of holes located around all sides of their bodies. Ants use vibrations to hear without ears. They pick up vibrations from the ground using the subgenual organ located below the knee.
Ants have Two Stomachs
One of the stomachs is used for hold food for their own consumption, while the other is used to hold food to share with other ants. This process, known as trophallaxis, allows the ant colony to work efficiently.
Some Species of Ants can Swim
Some species of ants are able to survive in water by swimming. They can also float or hold their breath underwater for long periods of time. In order to survive floods, ants will build lifeboats, proving they have amazing adaptation skills.
Ants Are as Old as Dinosaurs
Ants first came about around 130 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. They survived the Cretaceous-Tertiary that killed the dinosaurs and the ice age. Ants are amazing survivors.
