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About Ants

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[Ancient ant fossilized in amber]Ants have been around for over 100 million years! They are believed to have evolved from ancient wasps that nest in the ground.  

There are at least 12,000 identified ant species in the world. Scientists believe there are many more. They are an incredibly successful species, probably due to their complex social organization.

 
Ants are in the phylum Arthropoda because they have an exoskeleton and jointed legs.

Formica subsericea

Ants are in the class Insecta and have six legs like other insects. Their bodies are divided into three segments - head, thorax, and abdomen.

 

 

Ants belong to the order Hymenoptera and are related related to wasps and bees.

Bee Wasp Ant

Ants are further classified into the family Formicidae. The ones in this area belong to four main subfamilies