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Ant Hill

During the few seconds it takes you to read these four lines: - 40 humans and 700 million of ants are being born on Earth - 30 humans and 500 million ants are dying on Earth »

Les fourmis, Bernard Werber

There are about 12,000 species of ants on earth.

They represent 25% of the total terrestrial animal biomass.

This insect exists since 130 million years (2.5 for humanity).

They can leave 14 days under water.

They can resist 11 months while exposed to cesium radioactivity.

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One colony of russet ants kill : 8000 caterpillars, 3600 nymphs, 3300butterflys per day.

Magnans Queens can lay millions of eggs in their lives.

The biggest queen (Dorylus nigricans) is 6 cm long.

The Atta ant colony can occupy up to 100 square meters and move up to 40 tonnes of ground.

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Different casts:

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a. Princes/Princess

Male and female who don’t work Copulation in the sky Males die takes her wings off

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b. Queen(s)

Monogyne and polygyne Metamorphose: eggs, larva, nymphs

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b. Queen(s)

Metamorphose:eggs, larva, nymphs

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Eggs

Larva

Nymphs

c) Soldier

Worker specialist Protect colony

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d) Workers

everybody doesn’t work (1/3) 10% of the workers are in the outside

Evolution : they begin with the queen/ as a builder/ as a hunter

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Superfamily

Suborder

Order Hymenoptera

Symphyta Apocrita

Apoidea

(Bees)

Cynidoidea

(Wasps)

Vespoidea

(Ants)

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1. Myrmicinae

2500 species

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Messor barbarusMyrmica rubra (red ant)

2. Formicinae

2500 species

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Lasius niger (black ant) Camponotus fallax

3. Ponerinae

900 species

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Cryptopone ochraceaPonera coarctata

4. Dolichoderina

300 species

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Dolichoderus quadripunctatus Tapinoma erraticum

Type of ant

Weaver (Tisseuse) Reaper (Moissonneuse) Charpentiere Esclavagiste Champignionniste

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Type of ant : Weaver

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leaf

Small animals Proteins Sugar Seeds

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Dominant species Ant Human Pig Rat

Bernard WERBER

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• http://www.antweb.org/• http://www.myrmecos.net/anttaxa.html• http://www.antcolonies.net/• http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/09/27/how-to-identify-queen-

ants/

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Tank you

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