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Shorn larvae fall over like little drunk sailors. They need their hair
to anchor them to surfaces.
Pupae
When larvae grow big enough, they quit eating and get really still.
Some ants will spin a silken cocoon around themselves to have a
little privacy, and others will just let it all hang out. While they look
like they’re not doing much during this pupa stage, their bodies
are changing and shifting around inside that last larval skin.
They’re developing legs and body segments, antennae and new
mouthparts. They’re turning into the ants we recognize.
done by workers. While queens get the colony rolling and keep it
strong by laying eggs, workers get the groceries, keep intruders
out, take out the trash, feed the babies, repair the house and
more. When we talk about ant behavior and the special
characteristics of ants in this book, we’re talking about the
Photo Gallery - Queens
When they’re ready, they squeeze out of their last skins, emerging
as full-grown ants. At first, they tumble about like baby deer,
unsure on their legs, soft and pale like the larvae they used to be.
But after a while, their skins darken and harden, their step
becomes surer, and they begin their work as adults.
Workers
The two most important things to remember about ant workers
are the following:
1. Workers are all adult ants. Once an ant looks like a
recognizable ant, it will never grow again. When you see a little
ant, it’s not a baby ant; it’s just a species of ant that is really small.
A young winter ant queen climbs high to launch her spring mating flight.
- © Alex Wild
2. All workers are females. So pretty much every ant you see
walking around is a girl, and pretty much every job ants do is
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