How many ants of various species live?

How many ants live? A question that cannot be answered unequivocally. The thing is that their life span varies in very wide intervals and depends on both specialization and the type of insect. Other factors, such as the hibernation period and changing environmental conditions, can also affect it.

Life expectancy of ants

So how many ants live? Let's look at this issue by comparing the life of insects depending on their specialization and, of course, species.

Life expectancy depending on specialization

Ants are insects in whose life everything is subordinate to order. Each of them performs its own strictly specialized work. Some feed the uterus and young, others - are engaged in home renovation and food search. For different species, specialization and life expectancy may vary, however, the following patterns have been identified:

1. Males are the most "living" individuals. They are allocated only a few weeks of life. During this time, they must have time to fertilize as many females as possible so that their genus does not fade. Then they die themselves, or they are killed by working ants, who do not tolerate useless parasites.
2. The uterus is the most long-lived individual. In some species, its life span reaches 20 years! For comparison, a cat, which is many times larger than her, can live only up to 15 years.
3. A working ant is a hard worker who is given only 1-3 years. A longer existence is irrational from the point of view of insects. After all, throughout his life he is most susceptible to injuries. Loses limbs, antennae, receives other injuries. And a disabled person's productivity decreases, which means that he becomes a burden for the family.

The above data give only a general picture of the life span of insects. In reality, they are much wider and depend on the species and some other factors.

Interesting fact! Argentinean ants, settled in the recent past around the world, are the only ones who do not quarrel with individuals of their kind. They accept all relatives, regardless of which continent they came from. Such a feature gave rise to scientists to consider all their anthills to be one giant supercolony!

Depending on the type

How many years have ants lived, depending on the species? Scientists entomologists found the following features of their life expectancy:

• working ant-bulldog is able to survive at least 5 years;
• the red inhabitant of the apartments, the pharaoh ant, lives no more than 2 months;
• least of all there are parasitic species of ants in the world that plunder stocks from alien anthills - only a couple of weeks;
• the carpenter's uterus can live more than 25 years.

It is possible to enumerate for a long time, on the whole, larger and settled species, live longer, nomadic and small - less. There are other factors that influence the lifespan of these insects.

Interesting fact! Among ants there are real slave owners. For example, Amazon ants, who kidnap dolls from alien anthills and raise workers for them.

Factors affecting the life expectancy of ants

In addition to specialization and species, the following factors also affect the life expectancy of ants:

• region of residence;
• sizes of insects;
• nature of work;
• species features.

It has been observed that in cooler countries ants live longer. This is explained by the fact that the larval development time is lengthened due to a slower metabolism. In addition, in winter, some species hibernate, which also lengthens their life expectancy.

The size of the body is another of the most significant factors. The larger the insects, the usually longer they live. Accordingly, small ants will live less.

Last but not least, the nature of the work entrusted to one or another ant affects the life expectancy. Individuals engaged in quiet work to repair the home and grow the younger generation, as a rule, live long. Soldiers and miners die before the allotted time from the jaws of enemies and accidents.

It is also noted that insects leading a measured settled life are able to live longer than nomad tramps. Probably, a high degree of mortality from injuries and starvation among nomads plays a large role in this.

Interesting facts from the life of ants can be found in this video: