Ants
The biomass of all ants equals the biomass of humans Ants are everywhere! Over 10,000 Species The biomass of all ants equals the biomass of humans
Ant Morphology
Imagine yourself the size of an ant: How would your surroundings look to you?
The Ant Eye
Some people think ants are like us…why? Ants are “social” Live in groups Overlapping generations Parental care
They eat foods… Many ants are “omnivorous” like us, meaning they eat everything from plant material to meaty things like insects.
They can keep livestock… They tend aphids to milk them for nectar
They farm … Leafcutter ants use vegetation to grow fungus in their “gardens” to feed their colony…
Childcare… Ants look after their young in large nurseries
Build Homes… They build nests and regulate the temperature and humidity
Career specialization Ants have specific social roles to play in their colony…soldiers, nurses, workers, queens
Communicate… They pass messages to each other using their antennas
Navigation Ants leave chemical traces that pass messages to other ants using pheromones
So, now that we have learned about ants…. Let’s design an experiment So, now that we have learned about ants…. Let’s design an experiment! We will use the scientific method