Myrm’s Ant Nest 2000-2008 © All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use & Acknowledgements |
Perhaps the most impressive nests of ants in this country are those of some of the Formica family (wood ants). In forests of Southern England Formica rufa build huge mounds out of pine needles and other forest floor debris, particularly on the edge of clearings and pathways. These nests are generally started around old tree stumps and the mound is built around these. The mound itself can reach a metre in height and several metres in circumference. The nest can also extend several metres into the ground beneath the mound.
The microclimate within the ant nest is strictly controlled to optimise specific conditions in order that the brood develop properly. The mounds of the wood ants are dotted with ventilation holes that can be opened or closed to regulate a constant environment.
Some ants in warmer countries build even more exotic and complex nests: Oceophylla longinoda, or more commonly called ‘Weaver ants’, create nests by ‘sewing’ leaves together, using a sticky secretion that is created by their larvae. The workers will form living chains of ants in order to pull the edges of two leaves together and hold them there, whilst other workers will hold their larvae, touch the head of the larvae to one edge and gently pull back. A string of larval silk will issue forth and the worker ant will attach this silk to the edge of the other leaf, and so bind the two leaves together. This will be repeated many times, by many ants, using many leaves, until a ball of leaves all sewn together is created; and it is in this that the ants will live.
Another type of ant nest are those created by the Army ants of South America, such as Eciton burchelli, which will create vast ‘living nests’ called bivouacs. These nests, which are only temporary, are created not from soil, leaves, plants or some other material, but by the bodies of the ants themselves. They will come together on a branch or some other object which is close to the ground, yet has a space beneath it, and grasp each others feet to form a huge mass of ants. Other ants will clamber on top to create ‘ropes’ and ‘chains’ of ants, and thereby create an impenetrable curtain of ants. Deep inside this living nest are found the brood and queen. Some of these bivouacs can contain many millions of ants. The ants can control the temperature of the bivouac by either creating gaps between the ants in order to let air in, or come closer together to keep the heat in.
Another type of ant nest is the artificial nests commonly used by ant enthusiasts or as part of a scientific study or experiment. There are many types of artificial nest, too numerous to list here, but the most common ones are converted fish tanks, the more traditional slim ‘ant farm,’ which consists of two sheets of glass or plastic hold together by a wooden or plastic frame, with a gap of about 0.5 – 1 inch between them. Between the two sheets is poured sand or soil, and the ants create a nest within, allowing you to peer into the ant nest. Other people have used test tubes and clear plastic piping to create artificial ant nests.
The microclimate within the ant nest is strictly controlled to optimise specific conditions in order that the brood develop properly. The mounds of the wood ants are dotted with ventilation holes that can be opened or closed to regulate a constant environment.
Some ants in warmer countries build even more exotic and complex nests: Oceophylla longinoda, or more commonly called ‘Weaver ants’, create nests by ‘sewing’ leaves together, using a sticky secretion that is created by their larvae. The workers will form living chains of ants in order to pull the edges of two leaves together and hold them there, whilst other workers will hold their larvae, touch the head of the larvae to one edge and gently pull back. A string of larval silk will issue forth and the worker ant will attach this silk to the edge of the other leaf, and so bind the two leaves together. This will be repeated many times, by many ants, using many leaves, until a ball of leaves all sewn together is created; and it is in this that the ants will live.
Another type of ant nest are those created by the Army ants of South America, such as Eciton burchelli, which will create vast ‘living nests’ called bivouacs. These nests, which are only temporary, are created not from soil, leaves, plants or some other material, but by the bodies of the ants themselves. They will come together on a branch or some other object which is close to the ground, yet has a space beneath it, and grasp each others feet to form a huge mass of ants. Other ants will clamber on top to create ‘ropes’ and ‘chains’ of ants, and thereby create an impenetrable curtain of ants. Deep inside this living nest are found the brood and queen. Some of these bivouacs can contain many millions of ants. The ants can control the temperature of the bivouac by either creating gaps between the ants in order to let air in, or come closer together to keep the heat in.
Another type of ant nest is the artificial nests commonly used by ant enthusiasts or as part of a scientific study or experiment. There are many types of artificial nest, too numerous to list here, but the most common ones are converted fish tanks, the more traditional slim ‘ant farm,’ which consists of two sheets of glass or plastic hold together by a wooden or plastic frame, with a gap of about 0.5 – 1 inch between them. Between the two sheets is poured sand or soil, and the ants create a nest within, allowing you to peer into the ant nest. Other people have used test tubes and clear plastic piping to create artificial ant nests.
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