Formicidae
Sign in to savethumb|Bright red ant, likely part of the Formica pallidefulva species group, on a flower
AI overview
Formicidae is the scientific family name for ants, a group of insects that are found all around the world and play important roles in ecosystems by aerating soil, dispersing seeds, and serving as food for other animals. The image shows a bright red ant, which is likely part of the Formica pallidefulva species group, demonstrating the variety of colors and appearances that ants in this family can have.
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Taxonomy · GBIF
FAMILY
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- ClassInsecta
- OrderHymenoptera
- FamilyFormicidae
via GBIF · CC0
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Subclass of
- Hymenoptera
- Named after
- cutting
- Image
- Meat eater ant feeding on honey02.jpg
Show 5 more facts
Article
33 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Taxonomy and evolution
- Distribution and diversity
- Morphology
- Head
- Mesosoma
- Metasoma
- Polymorphism
- Genome size
- Life cycle
- Reproduction
- Nests, colonies, and supercolonies
- Behaviour and ecology
- Communication
- Defence <!-- Note this spelling is correct in UK English, if you came here to change this to Defense, please note that articles on Wikipedia choose between US and UK spelling based on priority-->
- Learning
- Nest construction
- Cultivation of food
- Navigation
- Locomotion
- Cooperation and competition
- Relationships with other organisms
- Relationship with humans
- As food
- As pests
- In science and technology
- As pets
- In culture
- See also
- References
- Cited texts
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|Bright red ant, likely part of the Formica pallidefulva species group, on a flower
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been described. They are easily identified by their geniculate (elbowed) antennae and the distinctive node-like structure that forms their slender waists.