Scientists have now estimated that the global population of ants around the world is 20 quadrillion or 2.5 million per person. The number was officially published in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences after scientists combed through 489 published studies that surveyed the number of ants in a given environment. “It’s […]
Tag: ant
Ants can be better than pesticides for growing healthy crops, study finds
Ants can be more effective than pesticides at helping farmers produce food, according to new research. They are better at killing pests, reducing plant damage and increasing crop yields, according to the first systematic review of ants’ contributions to crop production. Ants are generalist predators and hunt pests that damage fruits, seeds and leaves, leading […]
New to nature no 109: Anochetus hohenbergiae
At any given moment, it is estimated that there are about 10,000 trillion living individual ants. Myrmecologists Bert Hölldobler and Edward O Wilson noted that their combined weight would roughly equal that of all living humans combined. Beyond numbers, ants are critically important components of terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. But their evolutionary success is no less […]
Goodness knows
Kindergarteners swarmed around the khaki-clad naturalist, squealing with excitement, shouting out questions and jockeying for a better view.The adult volunteers on this field trip were a tougher audience. “I’m glad they’re having fun but I don’t see why anyone should care about some bug,” one 30-something mom confided to another, adding, “What good is it, […]
A Daisy’s Sorcery
Unsure of her next move, a slave to a daisy’s sorcery, lost in the underworld’s intoxicating atmosphere. Eastern black carpenter ant – Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Spanning the Gulf
An ant spans the gulf between growth and decay, a tale of adventure and romance seen through my spyglass – Pavement ant – Tetramorium caespitum
Toy-Box Color
Tangled up in toy-box color, an ant plays hide and seek with wayward photons. • Eastern black carpenter ant | Camponotus pennsylvanicus