1. Ants

2. The biomass of all ants equals the biomass of humans
Ants are everywhere!
Over 10,000 Species
The biomass of all ants equals the biomass of humans

3. Ant Morphology

4. Imagine yourself the size of an ant: How would your surroundings look to you?

5. The Ant Eye

6. Some people think ants are like us…why?
Ants are “social”
Live in groups
Overlapping generations
Parental care

7. They eat foods…
Many ants are “omnivorous” like us, meaning they eat everything from plant material to meaty things like insects.

8. They can keep livestock…
They tend aphids to milk them for nectar

9. They farm …
Leafcutter ants use vegetation to grow fungus in their “gardens” to feed their colony…

10. Childcare…
Ants look after their young in large nurseries

11. Build Homes…
They build nests and regulate the temperature and humidity

12. Career specialization
Ants have specific social roles to play in their colony…soldiers, nurses, workers, queens

13. Communicate…
They pass messages to each other using their antennas

14. Navigation
Ants leave chemical traces that pass messages to other ants using pheromones

15. So, now that we have learned about ants…. Let’s design an experiment
So, now that we have learned about ants…. Let’s design an experiment! We will use the scientific method