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Questions to think about
Questions to think about
How do you think the ants are able to find and locate my food?
How do you think the ants are able to find and locate my food?
What other kinds of food do you think ants eat, other than MY cookies?
What other kinds of food do you think ants eat, other than MY cookies?
Ant Superpowers
Ant Superpowers
After my encounter with ants at my picnic, I wanted to learn more about how they were able to steal my cookie within the short amount of time I was away. I found 3 special abilities, or superpowers that helped them complete their mission.
After my encounter with ants at my picnic, I wanted to learn more about how they were able to steal my cookie within the short amount of time I was away. I found 3 special abilities, or superpowers that helped them complete their mission.
Strength
Strength
Ants can be seen lifting objects larger than their own body. Some ants are able to lift up to 5,000 times their own body weight. That's like me lifting a large truck over my head and moving it around with ease! It is the small body size and higher muscle mass that allows ants to be very strong.
Ants can be seen lifting objects larger than their own body. Some ants are able to lift up to 5,000 times their own body weight. That's like me lifting a large truck over my head and moving it around with ease! It is the small body size and higher muscle mass that allows ants to be very strong.
Smell
Smell
Ants have a stronger sense of smell compared to many other insects and organisms. Their antennae act like the human nose to track scents. The antennae contain odor receptors that can track and locate food from far distances. Ants have 4 to 5 times more odor receptors than other insects which is why they are pros at smelling.
Ants have a stronger sense of smell compared to many other insects and organisms. Their antennae act like the human nose to track scents. The antennae contain odor receptors that can track and locate food from far distances. Ants have 4 to 5 times more odor receptors than other insects which is why they are pros at smelling.
Communication
Communication
Ants are able to communicate in different ways. They are able to create sounds, use the sense of touch and produce chemical signals, known as pheromones, to communicate messages to each other. Ants can pick up pheromones produced from other ants through their antennae that conveys different messages like following a certain trail that leads to food.
Ants are able to communicate in different ways. They are able to create sounds, use the sense of touch and produce chemical signals, known as pheromones, to communicate messages to each other. Ants can pick up pheromones produced from other ants through their antennae that conveys different messages like following a certain trail that leads to food.
Check out the video from National Geographic that shows how ants use these abilities and to move the food they found as a team.
Check out the video from National Geographic that shows how ants use these abilities and to move the food they found as a team.
Goals and Tasks of Ants
Goals and Tasks of Ants
Other than foraging for food, ants use their powers and abilities to...
Other than foraging for food, ants use their powers and abilities to...
Fight and Defend Their Colony
Fight and Defend Their Colony
Some ants are assigned to guard and protect the colony from intruders like other invading ant species or other insects. Many ant species are also assigned to raid and take over rival ant colonies.
Build Their Nest
Build Their Nest
Many species of ants work together to build nests that are very complex and can run deep within the ground. What may seem like a very long and difficult task can be accomplished efficiently with a team of "worker" ants.
Care For Their Colony
Care For Their Colony
Some ants are assigned to take care of their colony and perform tasks like watching over the eggs produced by the queen ant and feeding younger ants (larvae).
How to Observe and Learn More About Ants in Your Neighborhood
How to Observe and Learn More About Ants in Your Neighborhood
Go outside in front of your home, in your backyard, around your block or even at a local park or green space to look for ants. Use a magnify glass or even your camera to get a loser look.
Go outside in front of your home, in your backyard, around your block or even at a local park or green space to look for ants. Use a magnify glass or even your camera to get a loser look.
Use your nature journal to draw a picture of the ants you discover and take notes on where you found them. You can even mark where you saw them on a map you can make with Kayla's Artisan Nature mapping activity!
Use your nature journal to draw a picture of the ants you discover and take notes on where you found them. You can even mark where you saw them on a map you can make with Kayla's Artisan Nature mapping activity!
Identify what species of ants you discovered with this ID Guide provided by Franklin Pest Solutions.
Identify what species of ants you discovered with this ID Guide provided by Franklin Pest Solutions.
Learn More About Ants Through Citizen Science
Learn More About Ants Through Citizen Science
Visit Dunes Learning Center's Citizen Science Page to view other citizen science projects you can participate in and contribute!
Visit Dunes Learning Center's Citizen Science Page to view other citizen science projects you can participate in and contribute!
Want to learn more about ants and what they prefer to eat? Participate in a citizen science project, "Ant Picnic", led by Students Discover. You can participate in a national research project that will help scientists learn more about what food is available to ants in their environment, what ants eat at different times of the year and how climate change can impact ant populations.
Want to learn more about ants and what they prefer to eat? Participate in a citizen science project, "Ant Picnic", led by Students Discover. You can participate in a national research project that will help scientists learn more about what food is available to ants in their environment, what ants eat at different times of the year and how climate change can impact ant populations.
Click the button down below to access the full lesson plan and directions on how to conduct the research and to share your data and findings to scientists for further research!
Click the button down below to access the full lesson plan and directions on how to conduct the research and to share your data and findings to scientists for further research!
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