The largest ant on Earth - what does it look like and how does it differ from an ordinary garden, forest arthropod? Characteristics, appearance and photos of the largest ants. Which of them are dangerous to humans? Organization of a formicarium - an ant farm - with exotic species of ants.
Ants are a common insect species that lives on almost every continent in the world, with the only exception being Antarctica. The most familiar to humans is a small garden arthropod, which often penetrates into their home - they have a body several millimeters long.
But it is worth noting that there are also huge individuals on Earth; their sizes exceed the average characteristics several times. Let's find out what the largest ant looks like and the main features of its life.
Prehistoric giants
Thanks to archaeological excavations, paleontologists have been able to provide information about giant individuals that lived millions of years ago. The next selection is just about these creatures.
Amphicelia
This dinosaur is considered the largest animal in the world, living 150 million years ago BC. It reached 48 meters, which is much larger than the size of the living leader of the giants - the blue whale. Archaeologists have only been able to excavate and identify parts of the spine of this majestic reptile. Currently, the existence of this species is questioned, so archaeological excavations are planned to be resumed.
The progenitor of modern boas is much longer - up to 13 meters and weighing 1 ton. Lived 60 million years ago.
Megalodon
An apex predator shark that lives in the ocean. Only the tooth of this 48-ton monster would hardly fit in the hands of a person. It is believed that the megalodon's jaws could bite through food weighing 10 tons.
Argentavis
The ancient bird is the largest of all who lived on planet Earth. Its wingspan is 9 meters. The majestic Argentavis lived 6 million years BC. The habitat established by paleontologists is South America.
Irish deer
The progenitor of today's deer, it was distinguished by massive antlers - up to 5 meters in width. These animals disappeared from the planet 2 million years ago.
Paraceratherium
In appearance, these mammals resemble rhinoceroses, only without horns, up to 5 meters tall. Compared to its descendants, the weight of the ancient rhinoceros is amazing - 20 tons. But, despite the impressive height of up to 5 meters and weight, paraceratheria were not predators, but fed exclusively on plant foods.
Quetzalcoatlus
An ancient pterosaur lived 70 million years ago. The majestic wingspan of 15 meters allowed it to fly hundreds of kilometers in search of carrion and small vertebrates for food. In the entire history of life on Earth, this is the largest flying animal.
Racoscorpio
This arthropod is the oldest of the giant animals. Lived on earth approximately 500 million years ago. Its dimensions reached 2.5 meters. The species reflected not only the transition to a lifestyle in fresh water, the scorpion crustaceans clearly showed changes in their habitat - from sea to land.
The biggest ant
Without any doubt, ants have no equal in terms of evolutionary development among all insects.
The existence of any family of ants cannot be done without division of labor, that is, each member is always assigned a certain amount of work.
Ant families are complex social groups; their lives are regulated by their own self-organization systems, which allow them to control the behavior of individuals.
Family of red ants
According to research by scientists, ants are able to communicate with each other using a primitive “language.” In addition, it is possible for some representatives of this group of insects to maintain symbiotic relationships with bacteria, plants, fungi and other creatures. Ants are the largest group of arthropods on the planet.
Anthill
Take, for example, the African savannah, where more than two billion individuals live in just one square kilometer. They managed to form about 740,000 colonies.
Together with termites, ants make up 30% of the total biomass of terrestrial animals. In places where the climate becomes more temperate, the number of ants decreases.
But even here you can occasionally find an abundance of ants; anthills are built literally everywhere, in the garden, in the forest, in the field, near noisy roads
Extreme activity
What is an ant family?
Everyone can envy the high level of organization of an ant family. The family is divided into two large parts, the first is the brood, which includes larvae, pupae and eggs, the second is the adults (females and males).
There are also infertile females, who are mainly responsible for housework. The size of a family can vary, from ten individuals to entire colonies of a million individuals and even more.
The predominant part of large families consists of wingless females, on the basis of which castes of soldiers, workers, and other special groups are formed.
Red forest ants
Every family must have males, as well as several reproductive females, who, in fact, are the main ones in this society. No wonder they are called queens.
All members of ant groups form a perfectly cohesive “organism”, they all work as one. The sizes of these insects are different, mainly their body length varies between 1-50 mm. Small ants that are common in our latitudes belong to the genus Monomorium.
In such a family, the size of adult working individuals does not exceed 1-2 mm, reproductive females and males are twice as large.
Ants monomorium
Ants belonging to the species Camponotus gigas are perhaps the largest. Working members reach a length of two centimeters, males are slightly smaller - 18 mm, females - 31 mm, and soldiers - 28 mm.
Dinoponera gigantea are ants that fully live up to their name, their average length is 30 mm.
Ants from the genus Dorylus have the same dimensions; only the females differ; during the period of egg maturation, their size increases to 5 cm.
Ants of the genus Dorylus
Ants from the genus Formicium are considered the largest in history; they have not survived to our time. The length of the female was 7 cm, and her wingspan was 15 cm. Titanomyrma lubei also belongs to this genus; they lived in the latitudes of North America millions of years ago. The female fossil specimen found by scientists was comparable in length to a hummingbird.
Comparison of Titanomyrma lubei with hummingbird sizes
Bulldog Ants
The largest of the existing ants are considered to be the so-called bulldog ants. There are about 90 species of them on the planet. Both humans and animals should keep a safe distance from these insects.
When they come into contact with an enemy, these ants can bite him and inject strong poison under the skin. A single bite is not fatal, but it will cause severe and prolonged pain and allergic reactions.
But if several ants bite, severe anaphylactic shock can result in death.
Red bulldog ant
The working class of bulldog ants is the smallest, the average size of individuals is 15-25 mm. The size of males is no more than 20 mm, females – no more than 30 mm.
The physiology of these ants is distinguished by the following key features: convex and large eyes of yellow, orange, black or yellow hue, multi-toothed mandibles.
Bulldogs have learned to wield a very massive sting.
Fight between black bulldog ants
Just like all ants, bulldogs have a gregarious lifestyle. Several hundred or even thousands of individuals unite in one anthill. The entrance to the “fortress” is constantly guarded by soldiers.
Ants have a good sense of smell and vision, so they can smell the enemy from afar. If he dares to come close, the ants will immediately attack. The diet of adults includes nectar and plant juices.
Invertebrates are used in feeding the larvae.
Anthill soldiers guard the entrance
Let's return to the venom of bulldog ants; its composition is very similar to that of wasps or bees. This includes components such as histamine, hemolytic factor, oligopeptide, hyaluronidases. The poison does not affect every person, but when you feel it, the suffering lasts for a very long time.
Bulldog ant eats nectar
Dinoponera
The genus includes six subspecies, each of which lives in the forests of Peru and Brazil.
Among the main features are:
- The dinosaur has a length of up to 32 millimeters, and the size does not depend on one gender or another;
- Their nests are clay flat mounds with burrows up to three centimeters in diameter. In most cases, anthills are located at the roots and trunks of trees, going deeper into the ground by more than 100 centimeters;
- Families are small, numbering up to several dozen;
- These are predatory arthropods that eat insects, amphibians, birds, and fish. Hunting is carried out at night; during an attack, the victim is subdued by stabbing;
- If they sense a threat, individuals run away, hiding in burrows;
- They bite painfully, but the bite is not dangerous to humans, the pain goes away after 15 minutes;
- Families have several working females, while laying eggs is carried out by only one of them - the one that secretes a pheromone that can suppress the will of each member of the colony.
Camponotus herculeanus
Another European representative is the red-breasted wood borer, which differs from its counterparts in the red color of its chest. The rest of the body is black. They are found in the forests of Siberia, America, and northern Asia. Nests are made in old stumps, as well as under the bark of a tree.
The family consists of one queen, soldiers and workers. The length of the male reaches from 10 to 15 millimeters, the uterus is slightly larger - up to 20 millimeters. One family sometimes occupies a couple of trees; the size of the colony can reach 10,000 individuals. It is worth noting that such arthropods cause significant harm because they destroy wood blanks.
Main varieties of ants
Now we have been able to study approximately 13,000 species of ants, of which only 300 live in our country. One should take into account the fact that insects are difficult to classify. This is due to the fact that there are twin varieties and various hybrids; it is difficult to distinguish them from similar ones by their appearance. The most common and well-known ants include the following varieties:
- Black garden ant. This is the most common variety, its representatives can be found in Great Britain, Portugal and central Russia, as well as in the Far Eastern region, reaching Ulaanbaatar. Working individuals grow up to 4.5 millimeters in length, males reach 5.5 millimeters, and the size of females is slightly larger and amounts to 7.5-11 millimeters. Let's look at the description of the ant in more detail: the body is dark brown or black, and there are a large number of short hairs on its surface. These ants are able to make their nests under stones, in the ground, in old wood. The main product included in the diet is honeydew, which is secreted by aphids, resulting in serious damage to agricultural land as the ants raise and protect the aphids from their enemies. A distinctive feature of the species is the amazing lifespan of the uterus - it is a record 30 years.
- Red myrmica. This variety is widespread in the Urals, Far East, Siberia and European countries. Females have a reddish color, they are not very large individuals, since they can reach 6 mm in length, and males have a black color, their maximum length reaches 5 mm. They make their homes under stones, underground and lying trees.
- Small forest ant. Lives in a temperate climate zone in forests in the northern part of Eurasia, for example, in Spain, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Wood ants can reach sizes from 7 mm to 14 mm, have red cheeks, a red-brown tint and a black belly. Often the anthill of these individuals can reach a length of about 2 meters; it consists of needles and branches. This species of ants has endangered status; it is listed in the Red Book of various European countries, and in some areas it even belongs to a rare species.
- Pharaoh ant. The homeland of this species is Egypt, but after some time the ants settled across all continents. Representatives of the working class are yellow in color, they have no wings, and their length does not exceed 2 mm. Males have wings that are almost completely black, and the length of the body is 3.5 millimeters. Females are brownish-yellow in color, their length does not exceed 4.5 mm, at first they have wings, but after fertilization, worker ants bite off their wings. Pharaoh ants preferably live in damp areas, and they build an anthill within the boundaries of one residential building in the foundation, walls, behind interior decoration, baseboards and even in closets with clothes and household appliances.
- Giant dipoponera. It is the largest ant in the world, its size is about 33 millimeters, and its body is completely black. This individual lives exclusively in the savannas of South America and humid forests; in these regions it was called the Dinosaur ant or the Amazonian Giant ant. A distinctive feature of the variety is the presence of males with wings and the complete absence of females. The last role is played by workers capable of reproduction; they are females. The housing of these ants is located underground, its depth is no more than 40 centimeters, it can accommodate all family members, and there are not so many of them - only 20-30 individuals.
Pharaoh ant
Cephalotes
Another Central American. Also found in South America. Cephalotes are arboreal ants that live in large families. The colony reaches 10 thousand members.
Ants live in bushes, trees, and in voids and channels made by other creatures. When falling to the ground from a branch, Cephalotes are able to glide smoothly.
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This is a non-aggressive species that lives peacefully side by side with other members of the family. Their food is carrion, plant pollen, nectar, and bird excrement. The size of Cephalotes is up to 14 mm.
Nomadic ants
This species got its name for a reason; the fact is that they do not settle in one place, do not build anthills, but prefer to constantly travel. They gather in large colonies and move from one territory to another.
They are also called siafu, and because of their lifestyle they are called strays. But this name will not be complete, since it always ends with the word of the killer.
The size of the string is simply impressive. They are assembled in a column, the width of which can be more than 10 meters. Towards the end it narrows; the length of such a procession can reach 45 meters. In one hour they cover a distance of about 300 meters, traveling mainly during the day. They belong to the inhabitants of Asia, South and North America, and Africa.
When such a huge colony moves, absolutely everyone they meet along the way disappears. Of course, they need food, therefore, beetles, woodlice, and caterpillars along the route they have traveled become their food. But they are not limited to insects; nomadic killer goosebumps also attack small animals.
They can attack mice, lizards, snakes, and frogs. They do not attack people as they would victims, but they can attack in self-defense when they feel a threat to themselves or their colony. When attacking, they inflict very painful bites, which can cause complex allergic reactions in the body.
The size of these insects is truly impressive; they are one of the largest ants in the world. In one colony there are ants of different sizes, they belong to different castes and perform different functions. When a column moves, soldier ants always walk along its edges; they perform the function of guarding their relatives.
Their dimensions reach 15 mm, but in addition to the large size of the body, they boast huge and strong jaws, which significantly exceed the size of the head.
There is a female who produces offspring; she does not perform any other functions. The female is the largest individual in the colony; when laying eggs, the size of her body reaches 50 mm. In the middle of the column there are working goosebumps; they carry food supplies and future offspring on themselves.
When evening comes, they stop and build a temporary nest for the night. This happens in the following way: all working individuals cling to each other with their paws and build something like a nest so that the queen is protected.
It is worth mentioning the peculiarities of reproduction, which no other insect in the world possesses. Reproduction itself has no special features, but the number of eggs that a female can lay in one day is simply amazing. They are very fertile and one female can lay up to 130 thousand eggs in one day.
The largest ants in the world
The largest ant belongs to one of the species:
- Camponotus gigas;
- Camponotus vagus;
- Camponotus herculeanus;
- Paraponera clavata;
- Dinoponera;
- Bulldog Ant.
The lifestyle of these insects, their habits, as well as other features violate all stereotypes regarding the general idea of ants.
Video
The largest ants on Earth
Camponotus gigas
This is a fairly large ant. Working members of the family grow up to 2.2 cm, soldiers - up to 2.8 cm, and the queen up to 3.1-3.3 cm. Camponotus gigas lives mainly in Asian countries. The body of Camponotus gigas is black, the limbs are yellow, and the back of the body is red with a brownish tint.
The underground possessions of the family (8 thousand individuals) occupy an entire hectare. They feed on seeds, fruits, carcasses of small animals or bird excrement. To hunt after sunset, they form groups of 10 members.
These insects jealously guard their possessions. Sometimes there are battles between two clans. The losers move to another place.
Camponotus vagus
Large Camponotus vagus ants are black or dark gray in color. The body length of the queen is 14-16 mm, and workers and soldiers grow to 6-12 mm. Their range includes the territory in northern Asia, the western part of Siberia, the mountain system in the Urals, as well as part of Europe.
Camponotus vagus prefer sandy soil, as well as sunny forest edges . The family is headed by the queen. She selects a place for a future ant nest. This could be soil under a large stone or a rotten stump.
The family numbers up to 10,000 individuals. As the clan grows, the nest visually increases on the surface and also expands deeper into the ground.
Camponotus herculeanus
Insects of this species are distinguished by a black head and abdomen, which stand out against the background of the red breast. The queen ant reaches 20 mm, the male individual grows to 9-11 mm, and the working members of the family do not exceed 15 mm.
They live mainly in European forests, northern Asia, America, and are also found in the northeastern part of Eurasia.
An anthill is built in the ground or rotten wood, in which the workers gnaw out a large number of tunnels. They can cause significant damage to timber reserves. One clan inhabits several trees at once.
Anthills are guarded by soldiers, and workers gnaw out many underground passages for communication. Camponotus herculeanus lead an organized, active life. They quickly deliver the food they find to the anthill.
Paraponera clavata
An ant of this species has a body length of 25 mm and has a dark brown color. Moreover, females and working individuals of this species do not differ in size. Paraponera clavata bites very painfully. Unpleasant sensations persist throughout the day. In terms of force, this is equivalent to if the victim was immediately stung by 30 bees or wasps.
The ant has a powerful sting, and it also produces a strong poison that allows one to inject a strong paralytic (poneratoxin) into the body of the enemy. It seriously affects motor abilities and causes convulsive muscle contractions.
Paraponera clavata is also sometimes called the 24-hour ant, since the severe pain syndrome disappears only after a day.
If such an insect bites a person prone to allergies, it can be fatal. By itself, this insect is not aggressive. Initially, it scares away the enemy with hissing sounds and the emission of a stench. He resorts to using poison only if there is no other way out.
The diet of Paraponera clavata is varied . It includes living and dead insects, as well as small vertebrates. Their clans consist of only one thousand individuals. They build an anthill at the roots of trees, going 50 cm into the ground.
Dinoponera
Insects with a body length of 20-30 mm. They inhabit steppe-like places or dry forest plantations. Dinoponera are carnivores that feed on fish, insects or birds. They hunt at night above the surface of the earth.
The ants attack the victim, bite it, and then drag it to the nest for dismemberment. Their powerful mandibles are razor-sharp.
Dinoponera families are small. Moreover, of its 90 members, 10% are females. Such a clan does not have a queen. One of the working females lays eggs.
In addition, she secretes a special secret, under the influence of which other individuals obey her unquestioningly. Dinoponera bites a person painfully, but after a quarter of an hour all the unpleasant sensations disappear.
Bulldog Ants
The largest ants are Australian bulldogs. Working individuals reach 40 mm, and the queen reaches 45 mm. Visually, they resemble black wasps without wings. Insects have powerful jaws that rise 5 mm above the head. Their sharp serrations make their jaws powerful weapons. Bulldog ants use them effectively to protect the nest.
These ants are endowed with the ability to swim and jump . They also make special sounds that resemble chirping. In addition to their menacing jaws, they also have a sting.
The toxic substance they produce is not strong, but for allergy sufferers it is still fatal. Deaths due to anaphylaxis after bulldog ant bites are particularly common in Australia.
The lifespan of these insects is 5 years. They carry loads that are 50 times their own weight. If a soldier suspects danger, he quickly bites the pest, and a little later other working individuals join him. As a result of such a massive attack, the victim quickly dies.
The bite of the black bulldog ant is deadly
There is such a type of ant known in the world as the bulldog. They are considered the most aggressive. They stand out among others for their size. Their species reaches about 4.5 centimeters. The body is often compared to that of a wasp. When people see such ants, they try to avoid them, since their bite is fatal to humans.
Statistics say that 3-5 percent of people who are stung by bulldog ants die. The poison will almost instantly enter the bloodstream. It is worth noting that this species is capable of moving by jumping. The largest jump has a span of 40 to 50 cm.
Most often, such insects can be found in Australia. They prefer more humid areas for living. The pain level of the bite is comparable to being stung by three wasps at once. After a bite, a person first begins to experience severe redness and itching throughout the body. Then the temperature rises.
Sometimes, if a person does not have allergies, then one insect may cause nothing. But if 2-3 ants bite at once, this can already lead to death.
Dorylus nigricans
Dorylus nigricans reaches 30 mm. It is one of the largest ants in Africa. This is a nomadic species - it does not acquire a permanent anthill and moves from one place to another.
All representatives of the colony - from workers to the queen - are colored dark brown, close to black. The body is shiny, the abdomen and head are matte.
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Insects are poisonous, but use this property in battles and for hunting purposes - they are carnivorous, eating termites and small invertebrates. There have been no recorded cases in which people required medical help after being bitten by a nomadic ant.
Bulldog Ants
This is the largest species of ant that has lived in Australia since ancient times. The Bulldog Ant has a large, square jaw that extends five mm above its head and is the reason for their name. Speaking about their organization, it is primitive and resembles the life of wingless black wasps.
Myrmecia pavida are characterized by:
- With a body length reaching 40 millimeters (males), the queen can reach 45 mm;
- When attacked by a tall person, they jump up and jump to the side by 40 centimeters;
- Among their abilities are the ability to swim, chirping sound;
- These are predators that can attack even a large insect;
- They have sufficient vision, so they immediately identify enemies and attack if they enter their territory;
- Small colonies - maximum 100 representatives;
- There is a sting with poison that infects their victims. The bite of such an arthropod is dangerous for allergy sufferers.
Myrmecia pilosula
Myrmecia pilosula has a Russian name - black bulldog ant. Lives in Australia. The continent is famous for its dangerous inhabitants, and this ant is no exception - it is poisonous and aggressive. Not only does it have an enlarged body and jaws, but also a stinger. People die every year from the creature's attacks.
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The appearance of Myrmecia pilosula immediately indicates danger - the head, chest and abdomen are black, and the legs, whiskers and sting are yellow. The size of female bulldog ants reaches 16 mm.
Exotic giant ant in the house
Some of the non-poisonous species of large arthropods are kept at home in an exotic ant farm, which is called a formicaria - these are transparent containers that are filled with sand or a special gel.
The interior is inhabited by an ant family that leads an active life, which is quite interesting to observe. Children especially prefer to do this. Some companies install formicariums in the employee break room.
Read further:
Carpenter ant - signs of infestation in the house, how to get rid of insects quickly
Stray ants - what they look like, where they live, distinctive features of colony development
Why do ants and aphids need each other - features of insect life
Why do pharaoh ants populate apartments and houses, how to deal with them
Bullet Ant
0 The name of these ants is due to the fact that when bitten, a very strong pain occurs, which, like a bullet, hits the body. The venom of these ants contains a powerful toxin - poneratoxin. Once a bullet ant bites, the pain lasts for 24 hours, which is why they are also called “24 hour ants.”
They have a very strong sting and poison, which is why they got their name. On the Schmidt scale, the pain from the bite of this ant reaches the highest level of 4, that is, it exceeds the pain from any other insect bites. These ants are among the largest on the planet: the body length of the female reaches 3 centimeters, and the working individual reaches 2.5 centimeters.
The stinging force of the “bullet ant” on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index scale corresponds to the highest, 4th, level. Ants live 24 hours in South America. Some Indian tribes use them to conduct terrible male initiation rituals, during which sleeves with these ants are placed on the boys' hands. After the ceremony, the hands may not move for several days, become insensitive and turn black. This type of ant is used by local tribes for painful rituals.
Paraponera clavata
Bullet ant (24 hours) - they got this name because of their very painful bites, the pain from which does not subside throughout the day. When they bite, they release venom that paralyzes the site of injury.
Let's look at the main characteristics:
- They live in Central and South America in tropical areas;
- They differ in brown, brown, red-brown color; males have a lighter body shade;
- Families consist of a queen queen, male workers and soldiers;
- The body length of the female is up to 30 millimeters, the male is no more than 25;
- Families are small in size - approximately 1 thousand individuals, in rare cases it can reach up to 3 thousand;
- They eat small insects, tree sap, nectar;
- This is not an aggressive species, despite their poisonous bites - they will not attack first, warning the enemy with hissing and an unpleasant odor. The painfulness of a sting on the Schmidt scale is 4, for a better understanding – a simultaneous sting by 20 bees.
The largest anthills
It would seem that the largest ants should have the largest anthills. But the size of nests does not always depend on the size of their inhabitants.
The first thing that affects the size of a nest is the number of its “inhabitants”. After all, the more there are, the correspondingly more labor force, quickly building their own home for a large and constantly growing family. Occasionally there are truly gigantic nests - from 1.7 m in height and 3 m in diameter.
However, the number of individuals in a family is not everything either.
For the growth of an anthill, the place where it will be built is important. Humidity and an abundance of greenery around are the necessary conditions for favorable nest construction in many species of ants. This is probably why the largest anthills were discovered in the Amazon delta
It is there that there is everything you need for construction: heat, humidity, vegetation, soft soil, a lot of materials for construction
This is probably why the largest anthills were discovered in the Amazon delta. It is there that there is everything you need for construction: heat, humidity, vegetation, soft soil, and a lot of materials for construction.
5 million individuals in one colony is the average level for those regions. There are also much larger families of ants – up to several tens of millions of individuals.
If constantly growing anthills are located in close proximity to each other, they often merge. As a result, up to 0.5 billion small (or not very) hardworking “residents” can continue to live and reproduce in such a huge nest.
There is much less chance of building a large anthill in rocky areas. There is almost no material, there is also little vegetation, and there is no need to talk about the softness of the soil at all. Small ant “houses” here may not exceed 10 cm in diameter, and the number of individuals in them does not exceed hundreds.
Of course, something also depends on the type of ants. There are those who are “vagrants” by nature, and they do not build nests at all. And there are those who simply do not create numerous colonies, feeling great in a family of 30-100 individuals. Of course, they don’t need huge buildings.
An anthill in which from 2 to 3 hundred thousand individuals live can be considered standard.
Dorylus
The largest ants are Dorylus nigricans, which are dark brown, almost black. These are nomads living in the jungles of Africa. Their main difference is that they do not build permanent housing.
These are the most dangerous predators, whose colonies regularly change their places of residence to search for food; their number is up to 20 million individuals. These are very voracious insects that can destroy creatures significantly larger than their own size, including amphibians and reptiles.
Speaking about size and appearance, they depend on their caste, namely:
- The worker is the smallest - no more than 9 millimeters;
- The soldier is slightly larger and can reach 13 millimeters, and has hooked upper jaws;
- Males are even larger and can be up to three centimeters long;
- The female reaches five centimeters during the period when the eggs mature.
Blue whale
In general, all whales are huge animals, and if desired, the entire TOP 10 could be filled with different types of whales. But the largest among them are blue whales. The length of the largest individuals reaches 33 meters, and the mass of such animals exceeds 150 tons.
Oddly enough, these giants do not feed on fish, but only on plankton, which consists of small (no more than 6 cm in size) crustaceans. Seeing their flock, the whale opens its mouth and lets a huge volume of water inside itself. Then it closes its mouth and, using a special mechanism, pushes out the water.
Back in the 19th century. the number of blue whales exceeded 350 thousand individuals. For a long time, whalers could not hunt this species - it was too strong. But in 1868, hunters mastered a new weapon - a harpoon cannon, with the help of which the catch of blue whales became possible. By 1967, the number of blue whales had dropped to 2 thousand, as a result of which their fishing was completely banned. Since then, the number of blue whales has been growing, but extremely slowly.
Kalimantan cat
The first information about the Kalimantan cat appeared in 1874, but then there was no talk of registering a new species, since it was known from its skin and skull, which were taken from poachers. Based on the studied remains, it was clearly established that such animals had never previously fallen into the hands of scientists, but it was never possible to catch a living specimen. The Kalimantan cat was first caught on camera in 1992. After several weeks of hunting, scientists managed to catch the animal and deliver it to the zoo for breeding.
black ant
This species is also one of the most common and often settles in human homes. Their color is usually black, but can be dark brown. The entire body of the insect is covered with small villi. Usually anthills are built in the soil, and there is a mound on top. They can also build their homes in wood and under boulders. Sometimes you can find a larger black ant - in this case, you have stumbled upon another representative, it is called the reaper. This species is known for its tendency to store huge reserves in the anthill. They can collect about a kilogram of seeds and insects to successfully overwinter. It is interesting that, unlike other ants, they feed their larvae with plant food, and not insects.
But the types of ants that are found in Russia do not end there. For example, many people know wood borers that run along branches and collect honeydew on leaves, and establish their colonies in stumps or under the bark, gnawing passages. Also in the country there are some species of “Amazons” that do not give birth to workers, but steal larvae from more peaceful ants. The babies that are born think that the Amazons are their parents and begin to do all the “dirty” work for them.
Myrmecia brevinoda
The leader of the rating is Myrmecia brevinoda. The largest ant looks impressive, but at sizes up to 36 mm they are safe for humans. Myrmecia brevinoda has a stinger and massive jaws. If it bites, it will hurt, but there are no critical consequences.
The creature is one of the oldest insects on the planet. Habitats: Australia, New Zealand. The color is brown-red, bright. The abdomen is glossy black. Unlike other relatives, this ant has a disproportionately large head with noticeable eyes.
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Colonies of Myrmecia brevinoda build anthills in the form of mounds up to 70 cm high. At the same time, not many individuals live in a spacious house at the same time compared to other species - up to 2.5 thousand. Unoccupied spaces are not empty - they are occupied by the larvae of other insects and other ants.
What types of ants are there and what is their role in nature?
Despite the beneficial ecological and agricultural characteristics of ants, they can still cause harm to humans by settling in human housing. Of the large number of varieties of ants, you should know about the most dangerous to humans, which live in nature and whose poisonous bites can be fatal for sensitive people.
Ant family
Despite the different types of ants, all of them do not live as separate individuals, but build a common house - an anthill, within which they multiply their population. In each of these ant colonies, the ants are divided into groups that perform a specific task.
The colonial way of life of these insects contributes to the subsequent division of one anthill into several others. They often build their homes deep in the soil, in rotten wood, under small rocks, and can also settle in the foundation of a house, under floors, in external cracks in walls.
The most dangerous ants
Dangerous ants are often called killer ants. Killer ants are not fiction, but scientific proof of the existence of such insects that can lead to death in humans; allergy sufferers are more at risk. But this does not mean that other people may not suffer from their bites.
Poisonous ant populations include the following varieties:
There are legends among people that the most dangerous ants are cannibals. However, this is just a myth. Ants don't eat people. Their dangerous species can bite a person, and due to many bites and a large amount of ant poison, he can die. Small children are at risk of being bitten by hordes of ants.
The most dangerous ants
The most dangerous ants in the world are army ants. Their habitat: the beds of the Amazon River, Asia and Africa. The size of such insects ranges from 12 mm to 30 mm. Their body color is yellow-gray, and it is also covered with many hairs. Their sword-like creatures are equivalent in size to half their body.
Army ants are aggressive, but they see absolutely nothing. They crush everything that comes their way. They do not estimate the size of their prey, but they attack anything that moves.
A colony of these ants can eat an entire horse. Army ants are also able to build bridges from their bodies to get across the river to the other side.
These giant insects feed on poultry and rats. Sometimes people find dead horses or dogs tied up in areas where such pests are common. They are able to eat a large animal completely in 6-7 days.
Camponotus gigas
Numerous families of such arthropods live in tropical forests (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia).
Among their features are:
- On average, their size ranges from 18 to 22 millimeters (males and working individuals). The length of the soldiers and the queen is about 30 millimeters. The difference between the soldiers is their large head width - up to 7 mm (the rest - no more than 3.5);
- The body color is black, the abdomen (the part at the back) is brown. Some subspecies may have yellow feet;
- Families of up to 8 thousand people live;
- They prefer to settle in a colony underground or near the base of a tree. One colony can make as many as 15 anthills. In some cases it was noted that their territory covered an area of a hectare;
- Camponotus gigas mainly feed on carrion, insects, fruits, seeds, sugary wood secretions, insect excrement, and birds.
Camponotus vagus
These ants are considered one of the largest; they are found in European forests. Camponotus vagus (black woodborer) lives in the Urals, Western Siberia, and Northern Asia.
The main distinguishing features of the presented arthropods are:
- The body of the female is up to 16 millimeters long, the males are slightly smaller and their size ranges from 6-15 millimeters;
- They live in families of up to 4000, slightly larger nests may occur;
- They are distinguished by their black color, toy soldiers have slightly noticeable gray stripes on the back;
- They prefer warm places, which is why they select an illuminated clearing and sandy soil to build an anthill;
- This is an aggressive species, zealously defending its own territory;
- They prefer small insects, fruits, and carrion as food.
Top 10 largest animals in the world in history
Amphicelia
According to scientists, this animal is the largest that has ever existed on Earth. Amphicelia is a representative of herbivorous dinosaurs that lived on the planet 160 million years ago. The length of just one vertebra of an average person reaches 2.5 meters.
Titanoboa
Titanoboa is a relative of the boa constrictor now living on earth. The animal lived on the planet 60 million years ago and grew up to 13 meters in length. Among the snakes living today, the longest python can grow up to 7 meters.
Megalodon
3-30 million years ago, super predators called Megalodon lived on Earth. To understand how large the animal was, you need to imagine that just one tooth is similar in size to the palm of an adult. The length of the beast reached 20 meters, and its weight was 47 tons. The force of compression of the predator's jaws was 10 tons.
Argentavis
This representative of the giants lived on Earth relatively recently - 5 million years ago. Argenavis is the largest prehistoric bird, with a wingspan of up to 7 meters. The main dish in the animal's diet was rodents.
Bighorn deer
Just 2 billion years ago, big-horned deer lived on Earth. The animal's huge horns did not allow it to survive at a time when forests began to cover previously open spaces. The distance between the extreme points of the deer's antlers was more than 5 meters, which prevented the animal from moving between the trees.
Giant short-faced bear
The second name of the animal is bulldog bear. Standing on its hind legs, the bear reached a height of 4.5 meters. The incredible power of its jaws made the animal an extremely dangerous predator. The weight of the bear could reach one and a half tons.
Gigantopithecus
Already from the name it is clear that the animal is characterized by its enormous size and is related to anthropoids. Gigantopithecus lived a million years ago. They grew up to 4 meters and weighed more than 500 kilograms. The main diet of monkeys was bamboo.
Paraceratherium
Another name for the giant indricotherium. It lived about 24 million years ago and was something similar to a modern rhinoceros. Paraceratherium did not have a horn, but it grew up to 5 meters in length and weighed more than 20 tons.
Quetzalcoatlus
An animal with an unpronounceable name lived on earth about 68 million years ago. This is the largest pterosaur - a flying animal. The giant's wingspan reaches 15 meters. The prehistoric bird ate carrion and small animals.
The blue whale is the largest aquatic animal
The vomit or blue whale is the largest prehistoric animal still living on Earth. The length of this mammal reaches 33 meters, and its weight is 150 tons. The whale eats plankton and small fish. Now such whales are on the verge of extinction and meeting them in nature is very rare.
Dimensions and features of anthills
From a scientific point of view, an anthill is a nest in which a colony of ants lives. This refers not only to the part visible from the outside, but also to the underground part. Insects can also build several nests, with many paths running between them. They are also taken for one anthill.
Weaver ants nest
Nests can have all sorts of sizes - it all depends on the type of ants, as well as the area in which they live. For example, members of small genera such as Leptothorax and Temnothorax build acorn-sized homes. Large forest ants of the genus Formica require huge nests up to 2 m.
The lifespan of an anthill is also unlimited. As a rule, insects can use a nest from several to hundreds of years. The complexity of the design is determined by the lifestyle of the colony. Most ants create elaborate homes that they will inhabit for many years. Nomadic species do not need complex nests - after a couple of months of sedentary life, they migrate to a new place.
Interesting fact: the nomadic African species Dorylus wilverthi is known for the largest colonies - about 22 million individuals. Ants move for several days at a speed of 20 m per hour. The stay in the underground nest lasts no longer than 3 months, during which the foragers replenish food supplies daily. Carpenter ants live in tree cavities
Nests are built underground and outside, in trees, logs, etc. The materials used are soil, various plants, leaves, and pine needles. Weaver ants strengthen their homes with webs. When darkness falls, the exits from the nests are covered with resin to prevent heat loss. Nests can go several meters underground.
Indochinese, up to 200 kg
Lives in Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, etc.
The Indochinese tiger can grow up to 2.55-2.85 m, weighing from 150 to 195 kg, but there are also some large specimens that weigh more than 250 kg. Females are slightly smaller, growing to 2.30-2.55 m and weighing from 100 to 130 kg. They have a dark color, shorter and narrower stripes. Indochinese tigers lead a secretive lifestyle. Most often they hunt ungulates. There are between 1200 and 1800 left, but most likely the first number is correct. A large group of tigers lives in Malaysia. There were once many of them in Vietnam, but most of them (three quarters) were destroyed in order to sell their organs for the production of Chinese traditional medicine.
Myrmecocystus
The insects live in Mexico and uninhabited areas of the United States. Myrmecocystus are honey ants and live in colonies. They have a curious feature - one group of worker ants has an enlarged crop; it stores reserves of carbohydrates, which are used as food for the rest of the family.
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Also, Myrmecocystus with filled crops become food for local residents. The Indians of Mexico easily catch them, since they are almost unable to move due to their body size. Males grow up to 9 mm, females - up to 15 mm.
Formicium
This is a fossil species of arthropod that appeared during the life of dinosaurs; they lived on Earth for 50 million years. They were first discovered and described by researchers back in 1854. The female giant insect has a body length of 7 centimeters and a wingspan of about 15 centimeters.
For a better understanding, the size of Formicium is comparable to the modern hummingbird. Speaking about the males of this family, they are slightly smaller - up to 5 centimeters, their weight reaches 150 milligrams (it is worth noting that an ordinary forest representative of the colony weighs no more than 20 milligrams).
Nothomyrmecia macrops
Another representative of the ancient insects of the planet are Nothomyrmecia macrops, which are also called dinosaur ants. They live in Western Australia. Insects are characterized by a red color, with brown legs and an orange abdomen. They reach five to seven millimeters in length. The most primitive variety was discovered in 1931, and another colony was discovered in 1977 (Eyre Peninsula).
Unfortunately, little is known about the life activity of this family, since the small population did not allow them to be studied better. A small number of them were destroyed in the 20th century during deforestation and construction work. Now the dinosaur ant is listed in the Red Book.
All that is known about their life is that they live in small colonies - up to 20 individuals. The composition of the family - queen, brood, imago (adult males), working soldiers - the responsibility of caring, obtaining food, building an anthill falls on females who have lost the ability to produce offspring. They differ in their nocturnal lifestyle. They prefer to build low nests.
