E20
Amazing Ants
I think everyone has heard of Ant-Man, a Marvel superhero. But, are real-life ants also amazing like him? Do they possess superpowers like Ant-Man’s shrinking ability? Perhaps they can launch themselves off the ground, cultivate fungus or use their heads as doors! Let’s start exploring these spectacular and adaptable ants!
The first amazing ant I will introduce are the adorable but defensive, door-headed ants. They are also called ‘turtle-headed ants’ because of their flat and oddly shaped heads which looks like a turtle’s head. When attacked by another ant colony, they use their heads to block off entrances to keep the intruders out. Another fun fact is when they accidentally slip off a tree, they use their heads as parachutes to slow down the fall and land safely on the ground.
Another interesting species are the peculiar, leafcutter ants. These ants carry leaves back to their nest to process. Most people think the ants will eat the leaves, but actually not! In fact, the ants will feed the leaves to a kind of fungus which they cultivate and eat! The fungus is very special because they are only found in ant nests and no-where else in the world. The leafcutters are also different sizes. There are massive ‘super majors’ which defend the colony. There are also tiny ‘minor workers’ which protect other ants from parasitic flies, when they carry leaves back to the nest.
Last but not least are the bouncy, trap-jaw ants. They are named after their fast-closing jaws. These ants have little trigger hairs inside of their jaws to detect their prey. Scientists found that the jaws can close at a speed of 145 miles per hour! This is even faster than the Hong Kong Airport Express! Besides this, their jaws are so powerful that when they snap-shut their mighty jaws, the force generated can launch them away to escape from danger.
Next time you see some ants, will you take a while to observe their behaviour? You never know what superpower they will show you!
- Teacher’s Comment: