10 cool facts about ants!
Check out our ten favourite facts about ants that are guaranteed to blow your mind…
1. There are over 12,000 ant species worldwide
Ranging from the ant you might find scuttling across your picnic to the ants building underground fortresses in the rainforest, to flying ants!
2. The bullet ant is said to have the most painful sting in the world!
Living in humid jungle conditions such as the Amazon, their sting has been compared to being hit by a bullet – ouch!
3. Fire ants cause over £3 billion worth of damage a year!
North America’s red imported fire ant might only be little, but the tiny critters have a painful bite which causes a burning sensation – hence the name “fire ant”, which costs the US millions in veterinary and medical bills every year! They’ve also been known to cause damage to farmer’s crops.
4. Ants are the longest living insects
Unlike some bugs who might only live for days or even hours, the queen ant of one particular species – the Pogonomyrmex Owyheei – can live up to 30 years – so be careful not to stand on her!
5. The ant is one of the world’s strongest creatures in relation to its size
A single ant can carry 50 times its own bodyweight, and they’ll even work together to move bigger objects as a group!

6. Ants hold the record for the fastest movement in the animal kingdom
The aptly named species of trap jaw ant, can close its jaws at 140mph, which it uses to kill its prey or injure predators. Image if that bit you on the bum!
7. Ants can be found on every single continent except Antarctica
Ironic really, when you consider the name…
8. Ants are social insects which live in colonies
The colony, also called a formicary, is made up of one or more egg-laying queens and a large amount of female “worker” ants who tend to her, build and maintain the nest, forage for food and and care for the young.
Male ants have wings and their only function is to mate with the queen.
9. Ants don’t have ears, and some of them don’t have eyes!
Ants “listen” by feeling vibrations from the ground through their feet, and eye-less ants such as the driver ant species can communicate by using their antennae!
Plus, they can send chemical signals (called pheremones) released through their body to send messages to other ants! They send out warnings when danger’s near, leave trails of pheremones leading to food sources and even use them to attract a mate – a sort of ant love potion!
10. The largest ant’s nest ever found was over 3,700 miles wide!
Found in Argentina in 2000, the ginormous colony housed 33 ant populations which had merged into one giant supercolony, with millions of nests and billions of workers!
What was your favourite of these facts about ants? Let us know in the comments below!
Images ⓒ Getty Images: Ants on leaf (483596365), Ant carrying leaf (157168347).
More Like Insects

10 facts about flying ants!

Stag beetle facts!

LEAVE A COMMENT
THANK YOU
Your comment will be checked and approved shortly.
WELL DONE,
YOUR COMMENT
HAS BEEN ADDED!
COMMENTS1
Jackson
That was cool information and facts !
liam sommers
Cool!
Aarav Tyagi
wowww!!!!!!
weird guy
wow!
Lukee1000
Nice
Grace
Grace
COOL!
Gurucharan
Interesting!!
Turtle
Nice
Turtle
Nice
Fishy
Cool
MŸŁÄ.U-U<zzZ
I didn't know ants were so strong :)
Samuel Prateek
I am enjoying these amazing facts about ants.
Suparna
Ben 10
Fantastic man. I can 't belive that Bullet ants and Giant ants can do that
Amazing facts!!!!!
Choedon
Thank you for the facts
Hailu
It’s a great story.
diva1e
Hey I love your facts make some more
Alexis Lam
Junior Weiss
josiah
ants!
josiah
josiah
Damien
Nice! Very informative.
ants
I love ANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Poe
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
Nelda
I love your intent
Lily Hopes
Great !!!!!!!!!!
Moony
I loved it and it help alot with my report on ants
titus
amazing
Alexa
Love it!
Alexa
Cool!!
An
Ant the best
Vedika mahajan
Nice points
Adam
Cool
LeonRodriguez
cool
nour'
Luca
Gabby
Wow interesting fact
Adam
cool
Arham
I want still intresting facts about ants
ayden
I love ant farms
Cherry
I like it
nana_hafsa
go ants!!!
nana_hafsa
SOO COOl
Borys Bok
My only friends are ants.
Uma
Superb
Unicorn
Ants are cool
GG
WOW
zoe
Ants are smart
matthew
nice
ayden
I think that ants are very AMAZING.ARE'NT THEY
Sreelekshmi
Nice!!!
Naafiaa
Nice
Shamar hall
That is cool
Adithya
Cool
Aruna kollu
GOOD INFO
charlottw
WOW THIS IS COOL
liana
i love it
Juli Saiki
I surprise that ants don't have ears, and I surprise that some ants don't have eyes.
Zoe jobbins
It was really amazing facts about all types of ants.I think you are the best ant facts people in the whole world.i think you should be the best people in the WORLD
what do ants eat
Dzenan Grgic
put more of your ant facts because in school im having a test and u guys rock please make more you guys rock!!!!
Cameron
These are AMAZING facts about ants. I think this website is quite talented and smart. :) :P
marie
ilove ants
Coolboy
I hate ants
Angelo
A bullet ant bit me once
i love ants to
will
i love ants
I love ants
Hayes Joseph
I hate ants
Tharunika
very useful
AjFan46
I LOVE NG KIDS!!!KEEP IT UP!!
jonny
i love bullet ants
fahad
I like ANTS facts because I didn't know before about ants.I am so shocked that how the ants are clever,and how they work together.I learning about Africa animals because teacher give me home work.and i left My two page ok thanks a lot.
coolgirl3000
ACE!
COOLKID 555
Ants scare me (hiding)
70saintspider
I love ants
Bra
This movie is epic to watch now
Cassie
Wow!
waterfish
waaaa
tornado
cool facts love the ant man facts
Vortex217
cool facts and interesting page but could you include: a quiz more facts about different things like red ants
Perigrine101846
The ant facts are awesome
CUSTOMIZE YOUR AVATAR