3AnAntNestThisholeleadsintoanantnest.Lotsofantslivetogetherinanest.Therearemanytunnelsandchambersinthenest.4PartsofanAntAntsareinsects.Allinsectshavesixlegsandthreepartstotheirbodies–thehead,thethorax,andtheabdomen.headjawseyesantennaelegs5Someantshaveastinger.Theyallhavetwoantennae.Therearethousandsofdifferenttypesofants.abdomenstingerlegsthoraxlegs6AntColoniesThegroupofantslivinginanestiscalledacolony.Theantsinthecolonyworktogether.Theantsthatlookafterthenestarecalledworkerants.Workerantsarefemaleantsthatdon’tlayeggs.7WorkerAntsEachworkeranthasajob.Somelookaftertheeggs.Somemakethenestbigger.Somecollectfood,suchasfruitandinsects,tofeedthecolony.Somedefendthenestandattackenemies,suchasotherinsectsandbiggeranimals.9AntLarvaeWhentheeggshatch,larvaecomeout.Antlarvaelooklikelittleworms.Theyeatfoodbroughttothembyworkerants.Asthelarvaegetbigger,theyshedtheirskin.10SpinningCocoonsSoon,thelarvaespincocoonsaroundthemselves.Theychangeintoantsinsidethecocoons.Whentheantscomeoutoftheircocoons,theyareadultants.Itusuallytakessixtotenweeksforananttodevelopintoanadultfromthetimetheeggislaid.11LeavingtheNestWhenthequeenlaysherfirstbatchesofeggs,theyareworkerants.Thequeenisbuildingupthecolony.Whenthecolonyisbigenough,thequeenlaysmoreeggs.Theantsfromtheseeggsarequeensandmales.Workerantsstayinthenest.Themaleandqueenantsdisappearfromthenesttomate.12Themaleantsandqueenantshavewings.Theycrowdtogetherandpursuemateswhiletheyareflying.Soonaftermating,themaleantsdie.Eachqueenantfindssomewheresafetolayhereggs.Thisbecomesanewnest.13ANewNestWhenthequeenantiscarefullysealedinsidehernewnest,sheshedsherwings.Thenshelayshereggs.Shelooksaftertheeggsandlarvae.Whenthenewantscomeoutofthecocoons,theyareallworkerants.Theytakeoverthejoboflookingaftertheneweggsandlarvae.14ANewColonyWhenthecolonyisbigenough,thequeenantlaysmoreeggs.Theseeggsbecomemaleandqueenants.Thenewmaleswillflyawaytomatewithqueenants,andnewnestsarestarted.Thepatternoflifestartsalloveragain.
