| Facts_about_ants Ant facts: Interesting facts about ants |
| Imported_Fire_Ant Imported Fire ant Information from Purdue University |
| Imported_Fire_Ant Frequently asked questions about Fire Ants from University of Texas. |
| Imported_Fire_Ants Biology of Imported Fire ants and control techniques for lawns and turf from University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. |
| Imported_Fire_Ants Research and management of the fire ant from Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Tech University,University of Texas, an |
| Japanese_Ants_Color_Image_Database A guide to Japanese ants and their taxonomy, as well as general information about ants. Available in English and Japanese. |
| Lurker\'s_Guide_to_Leafcutter_Ants A guide to the leafcutter ants (Atta, Acromyrmex), including biology, research, care, and images. |
| Myrmecology A comprehensive website about the nature of ants, including pictures and links. |
| Myrmecos_net Close-up images of ants and other insects by Alex Wild. |
| Myrm\'s_Ant_Nest The basics of myrmecology (the study of ants), concentrating on species found in the British Isles. |
| New_World_Army_Ants A review of army ants of the new world. Includes maps and keys. |
| Non-native_ants__Exotic_and_invasive_species A worldwide resource for tracking exotic ants |
| Notes_From_Underground Illustrated articles on ant biology, behavior, and ecology. |
| Online_Catalog_of_Ants_of_North_America Comprehensive resource includes nomenclature (scientific names), natural history, genus-level identification guide, and annotated bibliography. |
| The_Pharaoh_Ant Ohio State University Extension Factsheet on the pharaoh ant, and how it has established itself as a nuisance in hospitals, rest homes, and day care centers. |
| Photos_of_ants Photo encyclopedia of various ants showing their biology and habits. |
| Red_Harvester_Ants Description, pest control, management, and the effect of the diminishing red harvester ant population on the Texas horned lizard which is a protected threatened species. |
| Red_Imported_Fire_Ant History, biology and control of the Red Imported Fire Ant , an IPM pest fact sheet. |
| The_Secret_Life_of_Ants Discusses the architecture of ant nests, the growth of the colony, and the behavior of various species. |
| Smithsonian_Magazine_-_Small_Matters Illustrated article about how leafcutter ants learned to grow fungi. |
| Solenopsis_invicta Imported Fire Ant. |
| USDA_Areawide_Suppression_of_Fire_Ants Information on fire ant control in the USA, including biology, chemical and biological controls, publications, contacts, and distribution maps. |
| White-Footed_Ants Biology, identification and control of white-footed ants. |
| Babes-Bolyai_University Offers electron microscopy services, training and research in Cluj, Romania. |
| Bugscope Educational outreach project of the World Wide Laboratory. The primary goal of the Bugscope project is to demonstrate that relatively low cost, sustainable access to a scanning electron microscope can |
| Centre_for_Advanced_Microscopy The Centre provides microscopy services for the life and physical sciences. |
| Dennis_Kunkel_Microscopy,_Inc_ Scientific stock photography by Dennis Kunkel. Gallery contains hundreds of images photographed with SEM and TEM |
| Electron_Microprobe_Laboratory,_University_of_Minnesota Facility for non-destructive chemical analyses of solids using a JEOL 8900 Electron Probe Microanalyzer. |
| Ernst_Ruska-Centre_for_Microscopy A multidiscipline division in Germany providing scientific researchers with resources and services. |
| ESEMIR Third-part laboratory for microstructural analyses by Environmental Electron Microscopy and FT-IR infra red microscopy. |
| Homebuilt_STM_Project An amateur project to build a scanning tunneling microscope, including detailed descriptions of mechanics, electronics and software. |
| Imaging_Advances_in_Scanning_Electron_Microscopy Lucis image-processing technology enhances SEM images using Differential Hysteresis Processing. Lucis reveals vivid detail previously beyond visual perception. |
| Imaging_Advances_in_Transmission_Electron_Microscopy TEM images processed with Lucis reveal vivid detail otherwise beyond visual perception. |
| IRC_Scanning_Probe_Microscope_Service Overview of in-situ STM, AFM/STM equipment, image gallery with links to staff and student vacancies at the Institute of Research on Catalysis, University of Lyon, France. |
| MAC_Calibration_Standards_for_SEM_TEM_BSD_BSED_STEM MAC manufacture standards for the following micro-analysis systems: AUGER, BSED, EDX, SEM, STEM, TEM, WDX, XRF, and micro-probe. They also manufacture calibration standards for BSED and scanning ele |
| M_E__Taylor_Engineering Provides electron microscopy supplies and equipment and custom machining and laboratory services. |
| Microanalyst Information and forum about microanalysis with X-ray spectrometer (EDX) in Electron Microscope (EPMA) |
| Microscopy_Tips_and_Tricks Help and information on a variety of issues encountered in TEM, SEM and Light Microscopy. |
| Microvision_Labs Offers SEM and light microscopy services in the Boston, MA area. |
| SEM_Images Scanning electron microscope photography of David Scharf. |
All ants are in family Formicidae and all of them have a waist. Their waist is
composed of one or two knobs which are the first one or two segments of their
abdomen. Their antennae have a distinct elbow. Ants live in colonies made up of
several castes. These included the winged male, winged female and wingless
workers.
Ants are social insects; they form small
to large colonies. Ant colonies usually contain: an egg-laying queen and many
workers together with their brood i.e., eggs, larvae and pupae. Worker ants
carry out different jobs including nest
construction, foraging, looking after the brood and queen, and nest defense.
When the ant colony becomes mature, the next
generation of winged queens and males are produced. They are present in the nest for
only a short period. Soon after emerging, they leave the nest to mate and
establish new nests elsewhere.
Queens usually look similar to the workers but have larger bodies.
Males are about the same size as the
workers or smaller, with smaller heads, larger ocelli and smaller mandibles.
Males may look more like wasps than ants.
Most ants will attack their enemy. Some ants have powerful
stings. Others eject vapors of formic acid.
Ponerinae - Pony Ants
The mesosoma is attached to the gaster with a single segment. The gaster
usually has a distinct impression between the first and second segments.
There is the sting at the tip of their gaster.
Myrmicinae - Myrmicine ants
For the Myrmicines ants the mesosoma is attached to the gaster by two distinct
segments. There is the sting at the tip of their gaster.
Dolichoderinae - Meat Ants, Tyrant Ants
The petiole is a single segment. The gaster is smooth and does not have
constrictions between the segments. The tip of the gaster is absent of sting,
and is slit-like, without a circular opening.
Formicinae - Spiny Ants, Sugar Ants
For the Formicinae ants the petiole is a single segment. The gaster is smooth
and does not have constrictions between the segments. The tip of the gaster is
absent of a sting.
Reference and Link:
1. Australian
Ants Online - S.O. Shattuck and N.J. Barnett, CSIRO 2001.
2. Common names of northern Australian ants
- CSIRO Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, 24 May, 2005.
3. Common names for Australian ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
- Alan N Andersen, Australian Journal of Entomology (2002) 41 , 285–293.
4. Australian
Ant Image Database - Australian Ant Image Database, R.W Taylor.
5. myrmecos.net -
myrmecos.net, Alex Wild, 2005.
Back to Top
[ Home ] [ Subfamily Myrmeciinae ] [ Subfamily Ponerinae ] [ Subfamily Myrmicinae ] [ Subfamily Dolichoderinae ] [ Subfamily Formicinae ] [ Not Known Ants ]
Fire Ants - We are suffering the Fire Ants
problem.
The Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, is a serious new
pest which has been detected in Brisbane, Queensland.
They can be the greatest ecological threat to Australia. More information
please visit our Government
Fire Ants web site.
See us in our Home
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Last updated: September 30, 2006.
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