The fascinating world of ...

Ants

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There are 890 known species of ants in Costa Rica alone, and 12,000 species world wide.  They are diligent workers, can lift several times their own body weight and have a highly developed social organization.  Ants are social insects that live in colonies consisting of millions of individuals.   To communicate between themselves they use scented chemicals, known as pheromones.  They have several different types or castes, and each caste has a different function or job in the colony.
  • Workers forage for food, construct the nest and care for the young and the reproductives.
  • Reproductives include the original queen and the swarmers. The original queen’s job is to lay eggs.
  • Swarmers are winged males and females that fly out to start new colonies and spread to new areas. These swarmers mate during the swarm, and the male dies soon after. The queen then locates a suitable nesting site, sheds her wings and begins to set up a colony.
Ants develop by complete metamorphosis, meaning the eggs hatch into larvae that must be cared for by the workers. The larvae pupate into adult workers or reproductives. After two or three years, the colony matures and begins to produce swarmers every year.

Ants go through metamorphosis—a complete change in body form—that has four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
  • Egg. The ant life cycle begins with an egg. Fertilized eggs become female ants, while unfertilized eggs become male ants.
  • Larva. The tiny egg hatches into a worm-shaped larva without eyes or legs. Ant larvae eat constantly, relying on adult workers to feed them. Larvae grow quickly, molting several times as they get bigger.
  • Pupa. When the larva is big enough, it metamorphoses into a pupa. Pupae look more like adults, but their antennae and wings are folded against their bodies. In some species, the pupa spins a cocoon around itself for protection. In other species, the pupa remains uncovered. The pupal stage is one of rest and reorganization. During this time, the pupa changes into an adult.
  • Adult. Finally, the pupa emerges as an adult. Adult ants are full-grown. Their hard exoskeleton prevents them from getting any larger. 

The lifespan of ants depends on the caste. Males live for only a few weeks and die after mating. Workers usually live for several months. Queens can live for decades under the right conditions. Ants are active all year long in tropical climates. In cooler climates, they survive the winter by going into a state of dormancy or inactivity known as diapause.