Ants are one of Earth’s great success stories. Ancestors of ancient wasps, with whom they share their hourglass figure, ants first appeared on Earth when dinosaurs roamed the planet more than 120 million years ago. These small insects are among the few species that have survived to modern times largely unchanged.
An amazingly hardy species, ants thrive everywhere on Earth except the frozen ice sheets of Antarctica and the Arctic. While no one enjoys sharing their Monmouth County, New Jersey kitchen with ants; there is much to admire in these hard-working insects.
Did You Know?
Enjoy these strange but true facts about ants:
- Ants are the Einsteins of the insect world with a quarter of a million brain cells. In comparison, the human brain contains around 100 billion cells!
- At 1/2 inch long, the carpenter ant is the largest ant in New Jersey. The largest ant species is the 2-inch long African driver ant.
- Some ants are farmers, cultivating fungus or tending “herds” of aphids for their sugary secretions.
- In some cultures ants are a culinary delicacy. Depending on species, they may have a honey sweet or peppery taste.
- Ants do not have ears. Special sensing organs in their feet and knees allow ants to “hear” ground vibrations. Ants also use their antennae, special sensing hairs, and scent to navigate.
- The insect kingdom’s body builders, ants have exceptionally thick muscles and can lift objects many times their size and 50 times their body weight. In human terms, this would be like lifting a Ford Focus above your head!
Ants are less fascinating when they invade your home. When they do, call the ant extermination experts at Allison Pest Control.