New World Army Ant: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Busy Bugs · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. These ants build no permanent nest. Instead, thousands of workers interlink to form a living bivouac.
2. A raid can stretch up to 200 metres and involve as many as 200,000 workers.
3. Moving the whole living nest takes six to eight hours, usually under cover of darkness.
4. Over 500 other species live around these colonies, more than around any other single species, and over 300 are thought to depend on them.
5. Antbirds follow the raids to catch fleeing prey. Mites live on the ants, and some beetles mimic them.

The quiz

1. What do army ants form instead of a permanent nest?

• A mound of mud
• A tunnel under rocks
• A living bivouac of linked workers (correct)
• A hanging paper ball

Thousands of interlinked workers form a living bivouac.

2. How many workers can a raid involve?

• As many as 200
• As many as 200,000 (correct)
• As many as 2,000
• As many as 20 million

A raid can involve as many as 200,000 workers.

3. How long does it take to move the whole living nest?

• Six to eight hours (correct)
• Ten minutes
• Two days
• A full week

The entire living nest is moved in six to eight hours.

4. How many species are thought to depend on these ants?

• Over 300 (correct)
• Fewer than 10
• About 50
• Exactly 1,000

Over 300 of the species living around the colonies are thought to depend on the ants.

5. Why do antbirds follow the raids?

• To catch fleeing prey (correct)
• To steal eggs
• To eat the ants' queen
• To find nesting sites

Antbirds follow the raids and catch fleeing prey.

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