Wildlife

Amazing ants

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Omnipresent, with a unique social organisation and the ability to adapt to different environments, ants have often been compared to human society. An excellent candidate for insect studies, ants greatly outnumber all other animals on the planet, including human beings.

Army ants (Aenictus artipus) are highly effective predators, armed as they are with large mandibles and a painful sting.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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The weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) acts as a keystone predator.Photo: R. Bhanumathi

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The social organisation of ants and their ability to adapt to different environments enabled them to colonise the entire earth millions of years ago.Photo: R Bhanumathi

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Sugar ant (Camponotus consobrinus), a species native to Australia.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Fire ant (Solenopsis geminate).Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Leptogenys processionalis, a species of ant of the subfamily Ponerinae.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Pheidole, a widespread and ecologically dominant genus of ants that includes more than 1,000 species.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Singapore ant (Trichomyrmex destructor).Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Spiny ant (Polyrhachis bihamata).Photo: R. Bhanumathi

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A species of ant in the Bothroponera genus.Photo: K Sadheeskumar

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Carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus).Photo: R. Bhanumathi

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Aphaenogaster, a genus of ants that are carnivorous and collect dead insects.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Grassland ant (Camponotus compressus), a groundnesting species of ant found in India and Southeast Asia.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Singapore ants (Trichomyrmex destructor) are a pest species in urban areas, known for causing costly damage to structures, vehicles and electronic devices with their chewing activity.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Ghost ants (Tapinoma melanocephalum).Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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The Crematogaster (brunnea contemta) is known to make its nests on trees.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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The grassland ant (Camponotus compressus) is one of the many species which tends insects like aphids and tree hoppers.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Meranoplus bicolor, an ant species found in many Asian countries, where its habitats range from open grasslands to open-canopy forests.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Prenolepis a relatively small clade of formicine ants found in southern China and southeastern Asia.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Polyrhachis rastella, a species in Formicinae, a subfamily of Formicidae.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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Tetramorium, also known as pavement ants.Photo: K. Sadheeskumar

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