Ant

Cosma / Communication / Knowledge / Realm / Terrestrial / Life / Animal / Invertebrate / Ant
—————————

ant : any of a family (formicidae) of colonial hymenopterous insects with a complex social organization and various castes performing special duties — Merriam-Webster See also OneLook

Encyclopedia

Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the Cretaceous period, about 99 million years ago, and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than 12,500 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified. They are easily identified by their elbowed antennae and the distinctive node-like structure that forms their slender waists. — Wikipedia

Ant (Encyclopædia Britannica)

Hymenoptera: Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Bug Guide, Iowa State University)

Hymenoptera: Ants, Bees & Wasps (One Zoom)
Hymenoptera (Catalogue of Life)
Hymenoptera (WolframAlpha)

———————–

Inspiration

———————–

Inspiration

Leafcutter Ant Colony (Museum of Science, YouTube 360° Video)

Talks about Ants (TED: Ideas Worth Spreading)
Articles about Ants (Big Think)

———————-

Innovation

Science

Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term “insect” was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans. This wider meaning may still be encountered in informal use. — Wikipedia

Entomology (Encyclopædia Britannica)

Myrmecology is a branch of entomology focusing on the scientific study of ants. Some early myrmecologists considered ant society as the ideal form of society and sought to find solutions to human problems by studying them. Ants continue to be a model of choice for the study of questions on the evolution of social systems because of their complex and varied forms of eusociality (social organization). Their diversity and prominence in ecosystems also has made them important components in the study of biodiversity and conservation. Recently, ant colonies are also studied and modeled for their relevance in machine learning, complex interactive networks, stochasticity of encounter and interaction networks, parallel computing, and other computing fields. — Wikipedia

————————–

Preservation

Library

DDC: 595.796 Ants (Library Thing)
Subject: Ants (Library Thing)

Subject: Ants (Open Library)

LCC: QL 568.F7 Ants (UPenn Online Books)
Subject: Ants (UPenn Online Books)

LCC: QL 568.F7 Ants (Library of Congress)
Subject: Ants (Library of Congress)

Subject: Ants (WorldCat)

—————————

Participation

Education

MERLOT: Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching
OER Commons: Open Educational Resources

Community

More News…

Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.

Insects in the tropics are already near their...
on April 4, 2026 at 10:00 pm
Insects make up to 90% of all animal species on the planet, and most of them can be found in the tropics, the regions around the equator. Yet we still know surprisingly little about how these species will cope with rising temperatures driven by climate change.
Python scales host microstructures that block...
on March 23, 2026 at 5:20 pm
Materials inspired by nature, or biomimetic materials, are nothing new. Scientists have designed water-resistant materials inspired by lotus leaves and rose petals, unsinkable metals based on the air-trapping, buoyant abilities of fire ants and diving bell spiders, and even Velcro was inspired by the sticky burrs from burdock plants. Now, a new study published in ACS Omega has taken a closer look at the biofilm-resistant abilities of python skin, which may have valuable applications in medical […]
Altered colony chemistry reveals a process that...
on March 22, 2026 at 12:20 pm
Several insect species, including ants, honeybees and termites, live in highly organized societies, also known as social insect colonies. Insects living in these colonies can take on different roles, such as reproducing, maintaining the nest, gathering food or caring for other insects.
Courting the competition: Some male fruit flies...
on March 20, 2026 at 6:20 pm
Like the males of many animal species, male Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, a commonly studied lab animal, are aggressive toward one another and even fight when competing for resources such as food and females. Researchers in the lab of David Anderson have been studying aggression in these insects for decades, elucidating the neural basis for heightened aggression in males, among other discoveries.
How clonal raider ants update their friend-or-foe...
on March 20, 2026 at 3:00 pm
For ants, the ability to instantly distinguish nestmates from outsiders who might hijack the colony is crucial. Now, a new study shows that the system that ants use to determine who belongs in the colony is far more flexible than once thought. The findings, published in Current Biology, demonstrate how clonal raider ants update their sense of nestmate identity throughout adulthood through repeated exposure, while still retaining an intrinsic recognition of their kin.