# Ant (*Formicidae*)

> Ants are small social insects of the family Formicidae, found almost everywhere on Earth except the far polar regions. Ranging from 1 to 13 mm depending on species, they live in highly organised colonies of dozens to millions of individuals, each with a queen, workers, and cooperative roles. Famous for their strength and teamwork, ants can lift many times their own body weight and are one of the most successful animal groups on the planet.

- **Category:** Insect
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Found on every continent except Antarctica, in habitats from deserts and forests to cities.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/ant/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Hymenoptera
- **Family:** Formicidae

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Family Formicidae |
| Diet | Omnivore (varies by species) |
| Habitat | Almost everywhere except the far poles |
| Lifespan | Workers weeks to a year; queens up to 15+ years |
| Size | 1–13 mm depending on species |
| Colony size | Dozens to millions |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Colony life and castes

Ants are among the most social of all insects, living in colonies built around a strict division of labour. A colony centres on one or more egg-laying queens, supported by large numbers of sterile female workers who forage, build, and care for the young. Males exist mainly to mate, and a single colony can range from just a few dozen ants to several million. This teamwork lets a colony behave almost like a single organism.

## Strength and teamwork

For their size, ants are astonishingly strong, and many species can carry objects many times their own body weight in their jaws. By working together, columns of ants can move loads and overcome obstacles far beyond the ability of any individual. Some species even link their bodies together to form living bridges and rafts, allowing the colony to cross gaps and floods.

## Communication with scent

Ants rely heavily on chemical signals called pheromones to coordinate their colony. A forager that finds food lays a scent trail on the way home, and nestmates follow and reinforce it, which is why ants so often march in orderly lines. They also use touch and antenna-tapping to share information, and different scents can raise an alarm or identify intruders from another colony.

## Diet and foraging

Most ants are omnivores whose exact diet varies widely by species. Many feed on seeds, nectar, and the sugary honeydew produced by aphids, which some ants tend and protect like livestock. Others are hunters that scavenge or capture insects and small invertebrates. Leafcutter ants take a different path, harvesting leaves to grow an underground fungus that the colony then eats.

## Lifespan and the colony cycle

Lifespan varies enormously across the caste system. Worker ants may live only weeks to about a year, while a queen can survive for 15 years or more, laying eggs throughout her long life. New colonies begin when winged males and young queens leave the nest in a mating flight; after mating, a founding queen sheds her wings and starts a new colony largely on her own.

## Diversity and success

There are more than 12,000 known ant species, occupying nearly every land habitat from tropical rainforest to city pavements, and absent only from the coldest polar regions. This diversity, combined with their social organisation, makes ants one of the most successful groups of animals on Earth. As a group they are common and listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though some individual species are far rarer.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much can an ant lift?

Ants are extremely strong for their size, and many species can carry objects many times their own body weight in their jaws. By cooperating, groups of ants can move loads far larger than any single ant could manage alone.

### How do ants communicate?

Ants communicate mainly through chemical scents called pheromones. A forager lays a scent trail to guide nestmates to food, which is why ants march in lines, and other scents can sound an alarm or identify intruders from rival colonies.

### How long do ants live?

It depends on their role. Worker ants generally live from a few weeks up to about a year, while queens are far longer-lived and can survive for 15 years or more, laying eggs throughout their lives.

### What do ants eat?

Most ants are omnivores, and their diet varies by species. Common foods include seeds, nectar, and the sugary honeydew from aphids, while some ants hunt other insects and leafcutter ants farm fungus on harvested leaves.

### How big can an ant colony get?

Colony size ranges enormously, from just a few dozen ants in small species to several million in large ones. Each colony is organised around one or more queens supported by many sterile female workers.

### Where do ants live?

Ants are found almost everywhere on land, from tropical rainforests and deserts to gardens and city streets, and are absent only from the coldest polar regions. With over 12,000 species, they are one of the most widespread animal groups on Earth.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Formicidae.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Formicidae&searchType=species)
- [Wikipedia — Ant.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/ant/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.